


Loki Baby

by blankdblank



Category: Doctor Who, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Developing Friendships, Past Lives, Plots, Secrets, Strangers, Sugar Mama, Sugar baby Loki, hidden agendas
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-04
Updated: 2020-04-14
Packaged: 2021-01-23 03:57:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 18
Words: 76,714
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21313798
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/blankdblank/pseuds/blankdblank
Summary: Poor Loki stuck on earth hating living off of Thor’s friends who hate him, missing his old lifestyle so a passerby in Stark Tower cuts a bargain.Will he find the comfort he misses and learn to enjoy the company of his Sugar Mamma?Will she prove more useful past merely her deep purse?or will he cave into his immediate results instinct and simply kill her to get her funds all for himself right away by taking her place?Overall the main question being, why him?
Relationships: Loki (Marvel)/Original Female Character(s)
Comments: 4
Kudos: 29





	1. Trial Basis

A knock was all it took and the loud announcement of company had brought the highly disturbed, bruised and disguised Prince off his stolen couch to the door opening his stolen duplex to the stormy night. Drenched from the rain his eyes settled on a wispy young woman with doe eyes whose shade were hidden by the shadows of the cover of his porch. In a flash of lightning her arms were around his neck and tightly she clung to him sending his eyes straight to the lurking man faking disinterest in her path to linger on the curb. “Sugar! Sorry I’m so late.” She cried out lovingly, and lowly against his ear she whispered, “He’s been behind me for five blocks, Jimmy.”

Tightly his arm draped around her back carrying her inside the doorway he closed behind her. A full week he had been on this cursed planet and it seemed all he could be on this planet could be was a murderer in the shadows. Already he had settled the first stage of his plan, he had stolen one of SHIELD’s best and had used him to his advantage with a disguise of his own to handle a few matters of his own choosing. Another well to do agent who was conveniently transported well out of sight in an illusion to disguise him and befuddle his brain until his mission was through.

He needed to wake this planet up to what was coming, who was coming, and to do that blood would be shed. He would no doubt be the villain for ages to come yet in his plotting and planning he did not expect this. A woman there was no sign of in his alias’ life before tonight had clung to him so tightly, a loving embrace he had only dreamed of until now as his place on Asgard had left him little chance at courting when all the romantic attentions seemed to center around him to simply get to Thor. Setting her down a sheepish thanks was offered and an explanation was given in her stroll through his apartment to the second floor to use their shared balcony she climbed over the dividing wall to let herself inside after another weary thanks.

That was it, she was gone and to repay her trust when that front door had closed a double of himself had been sent and not three blocks later the man had been snatched and gutted then left to bleed out in the vanishing of the double. A few glimpses were had after that encounter and then suddenly he was a prisoner and Public Enemy Number One, no turning back now, and surely had she known just who she had embraced the tale would have gone differently, that door opening would have sent her fleeing to the predator behind her. Yet he still held to that moment to remind himself the man his mother had raised was still breathing and his heart still beating firmly in his chest hoping that one day he might earn that trust without a disguise from someone so innocent.

.. ** ..

Clinks of glass echoed in this chatter filled gala being held in Stark Tower. In a suit Loki stood with a champagne flute in his hand faking a smile as he listened to Stark and his pompous speech about bettering the world and rebuilding this town into a better future hopefully to spread through the world. That involved a united front, including from the former dark Prince who had little choice in the matter. On Asgard he had free reign, a title actually worth something with a lavish setting he was entitled to by birth, and now what was he, nothing, nobody, groveling for anything past what Stark decided he deserved for his supposed ‘good behavior.’ He could squash him, skin him, slice him open right here or just trigger a riot effortlessly that could ruin his night and land him shoved off the balcony he loved to stargaze on each night without so much as a touch or word to the fragile little man.

The toast was given and just like always as he turned the crowds split away from him. This was nothing like home where he was given acknowledgement as their Prince and then avoided after, here not so much as a glance was cast to him in his approach but always to his back and to keep his allowance and privileges he behaved. He bit his tongue and did anything but what he greatly ached to. And made his way straight for the glass enclosed study straight for the book case where he could both behave and using a double to fake mingling he could shield himself while he read from the pitiful selection offered here far from peaking his imagination or interest past getting him through this tedious event.

Inside the glass enclosure a striking yellow clad figure turning to face him at the opening of the glass door letting the sound into the enclosed space with a small book resting open in her palm. **“If the stars fell from the sky, it is because they are weeping because I received your love and they did not.”** She recited under her breath, as if it triggered a memory of someone, from the book she closed and eased into her clutch clearly having been brought from home at the lack of any good poetry in Stark’s collection.

Glowing, absolutely glowing purple eyes fell on him and a smirk tugged those red painted full lips accenting an innocently pleased expression on the face of this stranger, all for him. Yet in the back of his mind he could sense Thor’s place near the bar with a full fleet of women clamoring to steal pictures and touches of the God in their presence they all ached to bed. Shoving that thought back a quick grin flashed across his face looking her over, taking in the low dipping short sleeved yellow figure hugging mermaid style silk dress just begging to be stripped off, a sentiment shared by countless men here tonight all hoping for the chance.

Again she spoke, but this time to him, “Thought I might catch you here.”

“Me? And just what might you have expected from this encounter, Miss?”

“Pear.” Again that dazzling smile he was certain many had seen on his own face to charm others into doing what he wanted. The knot in his stomach eased a bit in the first step she took closer to him sending her loose raven curls laying down her back and left cheek to sway gently in the motion. “Nothing past a simple solution to an observation of mine.”

“Oh? And what observation might that be?”

“Stark seems to be playing a terrible bluff on his dealt hand pretending he could use you as his puppet.” Loki’s brow inched up and she said, “I know Stark, have for years, and I know that look and tone when he finds a new plaything.”

“I am no plaything.”

With a breathy chuckle she stepped closer again with hands folded around her clutch behind her back, “Exactly, and perhaps you should prove that to him.”

In a tilt of his chin again he looked her over and asked, “How, pray tell, would you suggest I do that, Miss Pear?”

“If you ever get tired of playing nice with big brother’s friends you can give me a call.” A cell phone was offered, a sleek touch screen with a silver flip case his eyes dropped to, in her next step closer he felt Stark’s eyes on him as his hand folded around the phone and she softly added beside him, “My number’s saved under ‘home’, we can meet up for coffee, talk it over.” In her nearness and a whiff of her perfume had him wetting his lips in her step past him, “Enjoy your night, Prince Loki. It was a pleasure.”

Out the door she went, and he was left in the room, turning to catch Stark’s silent brow raise urging him to get back out and schmooze, the clear phone in his pocket assigned to him from Stark buzzing in a message directing him towards one of the guests. Years of pent up irritation had finally cracked to the surface and in a reach into his pocket he grabbed the phone he tossed onto the lounge a few feet away furrowing Tony’s brows in his zap down to the lobby. Everything, what little luxuries he had he was throwing into the wind and as the elevator doors opened his eyes rose to fall on that same woman again as he sent off the text he had composed. Her eyes lowered to the phone in her hand reading, _‘Care for coffee?’_

Again her bright eyes were on him and he felt his heart skip, only twice he’d felt this and both times he knew it meant his world was about to change drastically. Exiting the elevator his eyes dropped to watch the tempting stroll closer to him stirring up an ache to drape his arm dangerously low on her side announcing she was not up for taking. Clearly this was a game of one predator circling he other, both wanting something and it wouldn’t be long until he would uncover just what she was aiming for out of him.

Her smirk returned and his eyes traced her lips then rose to those same eyes again, “And here I pictured you meeting me in the elevator,” with a nod she let out another weak chuckle, “I think I prefer your idea.”

Unable to help it he smirked and turned in his step back with his elbow extended her hand gently eased under for the walk across the lobby and out to the street where a sleek car was waiting for the pair of them the driver opened the door on she climbed inside with Loki sliding in after her. On the leather seat he settled back then looked her over as she settled her skirt around her legs with her clutch on her lap while he pocketed his new phone and he couldn’t wait any more and had to ask, “Just what was your idea on besting Stark?”

Her eyes fell on him and she shifted ever so slightly, letting him know he had her full attention in the starting of the car. “Stark imagines himself to be the only one with vast resources, though why he imagines that he could take a man who could rouse an army of thousands to attack this planet and treat him with anything but the respect he deserves is lost to me.”

“Flattery will get you nowhere, Miss Pear.” He replied coolly.

Her smile split across her face nearly making him forget to breathe at its sudden appearance, “Trust me, if I was flattering you we would both be impossibly uncomfortable,” his brow inched up, “I don’t do flattery. It is a fact, and I don’t mean to make you uncomfortable but I would prefer to be completely honest with you so you can choose based on all the details.”

“What exactly would I be choosing between?”

“To be blunt, me or Stark.”

“Pertaining to what, exactly?”

“Well, I’m certainly not part of any superhero team signing you up to be my next big bad boy of the team to promote, simply a trade of one home and financial backer to see you far more comfortably through your days on earth until you decide to go home to be a full time Prince again.”

His eyes narrowed slightly, “Financial backer?”

She nodded, “Exactly. Instead of living in Stark Tower you would be staying in my home and would be able to live far more comfortably with very few favors in return.”

He nodded in a sharp inhale, “Ah, there it is, favors. What favors would I be doing?”

“I tend to be saddled with a number of social engagements I could use a body to fill my plus one.”

“That is all?”

Her lips pursed for a moment, “I also tend to be need a male to be around when I get anything done relating to repairs. Not for actual consulting but to actually be spoken to like a human being of some value instead of being talked down to.”

“That’s it? I just, wait around for you to take me out on the town?”

His tone elevated slightly, which she deflated by saying, “Quite the contrary. Unlike Stark that phone has no tracker or spy gear to snoop on you, no appointments dropped on you out of thin air. Each event would be decided on in advance, by you, when you feel comfortable, and anytime you feel uncomfortable you are free to change your mind, with no consequences or retaliations. You would have your own suite, kitchen, study, living room, bedroom clearly, and even balcony to relax in and decorate to your taste.”

“That is all? Nothing else?”

She shook her head, “You would be free to do as you wish.”

“Within reason you mean?”

She shook her head, “Doubt me all you wish, I’ll prove it to you. I think we could be good friends.”

“Friends?” He asked in a testing tone.

With a smirk she giggled back, “Well trust me I wouldn’t go looking to a Prince to be my own personal hooker.”

His lips parted then closed in his glance towards the window asking, “Where are we going?”

“My home,” the flash of a muddle of emotions flashed in his eyes and she replied, “Nothing is forced, just an inspection to give you the full disclosure like I promised. I’ll have you driven back after, nothing has to be chosen today, take it all in and think it over, and if Tony gives you a hard time just tell him I needed someone to help me with a delivery of my new fridge.”

“How far is this house of yours?”

“Fifth Avenue, not far, a decent distance for you to have your own space from Thor but not too far that he can’t visit.” Her head tilted for a moment, “Not counting the fact that he can fly of course.” Her eyes looked him over, “Can you fly?”

“No. Is that a problem?” He asked with a questioning glint in his eyes.

She shook her head, “No. All I can picture is people who can hovering in their sleep.”

A surprising chuckle left the Prince and he glanced out the window again seeing the buildings swapping from mostly glass to stone with townhouses spreading down the street on both sides. “Is this what you do then? Rescue people from Stark?”

His eyes forcibly off her, focusing on her tone and sound of her breathing to catch any hitch or alter in its pace, “No. You would be the first. Since he named himself as Iron Man he’s changed. I would assume he’s more terrified of what you know that he doesn’t fueling his urge to have something held over you.”

Instinct for him kicked in and he fired back, “And just what would you hold over me?”

Without missing a beat she responded making him turn his head stunned he hadn’t spoiled her mood in continuing to offer him the odd deal, “An umbrella most likely if it’s raining. I doubt I could reach over your head without a stick for much else.” She giggled again and stated, “It is a lot in one day, if you accept it will take time for you to adjust and trust me. If not,” she shrugged, “At least you have a story to tell of another foolish person when you get back home.”

The car came to a stop and he looked out the window up at the coral and white townhouse standing eight stories with a doorman exiting to open the door for you both who nodded his head to Loki when he spotted him. Loki exited first, adjusted his jacket then turned to offer you his hand for your exit. In which he watched you release your skirt making the dress settle around your legs again only to sway in your stroll to the front door as the car door was shut and the car took off to go park in the garage around the side of the building.

The main lobby sat open when the doorman held the door open for you he had unlocked, the marble checkered floor stretched through the vast floor with a counter manned by a suit clad man watching your stroll to the curved staircase leading up to the second floor. There Loki eyed the in home gym across from what appeared to be a spa area, tables as if for a masseuse and stations set up for manicures and pedicures on the other side of a steam room and bathroom.

Up to the glass elevator you walked and both settled just a breath away from the back wall peering out through the next two floors parting his lips at the library filling both of them. Above that again you were in a bare floor with white walls and runner carpets across the polished wood floors, scattered desks coated in a few decorations and paintings with a pair of doorways at opposite ends. Pointing to the left she said, “This would be yours. It’s a full three stories with a communal greenhouse on the fourth.”

He silently followed behind her the doorway opened into a vast room with a kitchen on the left fully stocked with appliances he might need with a laundry room on the other side of the empty pantry. Crossing the room he led the way up to the next floor where he found a room set up perfectly for a study, yet in his full turn to inspect it he saw he was alone. Wetting his lips he turned to inspect the rest of the floor, two half baths and an apparent guest bedroom sized room he imagined his mother would enjoy the light it let in along with the view for her painting.

The floor above that clearly was the master suite with ample windows to light the room with a full bath and large closet attached. Curiously across from the two other empty rooms with a bath shared between them he took the stairs up to peek into the greenhouse. Fresh vegetables and herbs were between a supply of flowers and a small specialized set up for the breeding of the butterflies aiding in the plant growth where possible.

Down again he went finding her in his empty living room peering out a window until he cleared his throat, a grin eased across her lips, “Is it to your taste?”

“It is quite spacious.”

“Is that a no?”

Her smirk made him chuckle weakly and wet his lips to reply, “Honestly, it is a shell, to furnish it, would be quite expensive.”

A tablet was passed to him and she explained, “I normally shop through the same company. The floor plan is already loaded into the program that lets you set up a virtual model of your choices, when you are through it will catalog all the items you’ve chosen and they will be ordered through my account.”

“My allowance? You have yet to inform me of how much I am given to spend.”

“Order what you like. It is quality for a decent price. Just try to keep it under four million, that’s my cap for the account for the month. As for daily spending I am curious to know how much you care to spend normally.”

“Stark allows me $500 a month.”

A scoff from her melted into a giggle that made her shake her head, “Makes me wonder what they pay the others.” Loki’s lips parted when she stated, “I was thinking more like $5000 a month, if that is reasonable to you. Not counting a clothing allowance, I have a few connections to keep you well tailored if your wardrobe needs sprucing up, as well as a great supply of book publishers to fill your study.” His lips closed and she said, “I do have a driver but you would be allowed use of my Jaguar for your own daily use if you prefer to drive yourself. Any questions?”

He wet his lips again in his glance around the room asking almost sheepishly, “What about you?” he inhaled then asked, “For meals, and daily life? How often would you be coming over?”

“Only if you ask me to. If you wish to eat together we could eat here or you could eat in mine. It is up to you. Did you still want that coffee?”

He shook his head, “No, thank you, I cannot stand coffee. Tea, would be lovely though.”

She turned guiding him out and into her apartment she unlocked opening into a cozy well lived in living area twice the size of his. The first glimpse of it alone had him aching to sprawl across countless surfaces to enjoy several of the titles on the books littered about with not an inch screaming anything but ‘Welcome Home’.

Leading him to the kitchen, there she filled the kettle and brought out a pair of cups and all else she needed she said, “Do you prefer eating alone, or do you prefer company?”

He inhaled, “It depends. You?”

“It depends on the company. Again it would be up to you.”

He nodded and through sharing the tea he asked more details about the apartment suite as far as maintenance and rules. Mainly limited to no smoking and no damaging the structure of it, making him chuckle at her mention of having seen Thor and his flying hammer trick and promise not to let him play with Mjolnir inside if he did visit.

Soon enough however the car was waiting for him downstairs in his first subtle hint at wishing to return to begin deliberating, and in the doorway he paused and looked her over making her smirk again, “I am surprised you haven’t asked yet.”

“Asked?”

“Why you.”

He wet his lips then he asked ignoring the pounding of his heart, “How long do I have to consider the offer?”

“Take your time. I have a flight to Paris in a few hours and that will keep me busy for a few days before I get back.”

He nodded, “I will send you a message tomorrow, and try to keep you up to date on my decision.”

“Of course.”

He moved to turn then paused to say, “Thank you again, for the offer.” Not waiting for an answer he stepped outside and walked to the car for the drive back completely lost at what to make of the situation.

Heavily he settled into the back seat he settled on the seat and in the moment the driver strolled around the car his eyes closed and he let out a deep breath hoping to calm the trembling spreading through his body. Finally he had a chance to start over, a chance for a stable footing until a time he could get himself back home again to his rightful place on the throne to replace his mother, who was currently ruling alone due to Odin’s vanishing forcing her out of her hiding from her faked death. All for reasons she had yet to share involving a need to go converse with the Fates about future matters she had witnessed in a dream.

He had no clue who this woman was, why she would care about his comfort and being respected to his proper station, or why if she was so close to Stark that she would possibly cross him by taking control of the meddling Prince from him. It should have been too good to be true, it should have felt wrong, the timing all too coincidental yet it all seemed comfortably trustworthy. All his years of traveling and discovering the secrets of all the worlds should have set him off that something was sinister but this alluring stranger clearly hoping to reign him into her circle of assumed protection he found nothing past a surface level motive for drawing him close to her. Had it been some plot or something sinister it would have set off the alarm bells in his head.

All of this reminded him more of a dance of birds in attracting a mate, had he been a penguin this offer clearly was a lovingly crafted nest of perfectly shaped stones she had gathered and fashioned together soundly to welcome him into her life for the possibility of tiny fuzzy hatchlings in the next season to come. Deep in his chest he felt an old ache, a brief glimpse of something in her eyes when that elevator opened up, a look he’d seen on the faces of the women Thor had chosen to take home.

Mortal and clearly a stranger to him this woman was pleased at his consideration for her offer, and if he had to admit it, he shared those same carnal urges his brother was so controlled by. She was stunning, she was flawless, and had she been anything but mortal by his eye there would be no control from him against dropping to his knees at her feet to garner her favor. But with his past and his fear for what could be coming in this post Thanos world he could not admit bearing those urges, that weakness, he would not let this be anything but a financial connection. He had shown such control over his fate in the past, surely he could master this, surely this was just another step to his freedom and he could one day put all this behind him when he takes up his proper place as King.

**

This world seemed to be anything but home, a sudden stop here and that was it, parts were broken and would take ages to replace at how few and far apart replacement minerals could be found making New York your new home. True you had strength to your credit, but with living in such a new place and your need to hide your past left you overly fearful in those first few decades. Bouncing from place to place frequently had to be left behind as you were gaining some footing into new sources of just what you needed, and one blustery day had you crossing the path of your constantly distracted and pattern diligent neighbor three blocks too far from the diner the woman he always flirted shamelessly with was waiting for him.

Through the shop he strolled and without a glance you could sense the power masked behind his form. A stolen glance from behind the cover of a book and you caught it, a green flicker in the reflection on a car window passing behind him. Old magic, strong magic, something clearly not human.

Gentle was the term you dared to use, so powerful and yet so gentle in the interactions of the people around him, a trait you shared. Clearly he was new, clearly he hadn’t stalked his chosen face before taking over his life or bothered to match his usual stride or demeanor. Peacefully he passed through the streets interacting kindly with all he passed, including you, a blind excuse at having to pass by just barely missing contact with your arm and in your stolen glance back at him he did not turn, clearly whoever he was, whatever he was he had no clue about you. Either that, or you were deemed nothing of a threat to trouble himself with.

…

In the rain however again you struggled with your urge to tear the man who had been following you apart since you had spotted him five blocks back when you exited the subway. You recognized him, SHIELD through and through. Since its birth you seemed to attract them like flies. Once, just once HYDRA had dared to take a whiff in your direction and after twenty of their headquarters went up in smoke seemingly out of nowhere it was taken as a sign, since then even their worst, The Winter Soldier brood, all turned the other way when realizing they were passing too close.

SHIELD now stood openly, ready to save the world, ready to dig up all hidden threats, one clearly including you in their eyes. Closely you were kept and in the natural order of things that meant Stark would catch on at the first mention of a mystery. Against all failed attempts to unmask it failure would always occur, and even to Bucky in his freed mental state even in your peaceful state being invited over at any chance available he knew to steer clear though didn’t know why, a clear sign to Stark that he was on the right track and just had to press harder.

A sideways glance later and you were knocking on that fake Agent’s door. Tightly you clung to him and to this day you could still remember how his body felt against yours, his embrace locked in your mind and his same gentle demeanor in escorting you to the balcony for you to cross to your place secured the thought that you could possibly be allies. Yet the mangled body of your shadow was discovered and the real Jimmy was found a week later while a man with a familiar green flicker was spotted across the screen of every tv in the city. Soon to be taken off this planet leaving you alone again and in need of a new apartment out of SHIELD’s knowledge as stealthily a supply of fallen craft ruins was snatched up and hidden away as just what you needed.

.

Just a few years later the Dark Prince was back, and in your seemingly sudden success in the technological field including your company, formed simply to hide your true need of certain documents, diagrams and supplies, encasing homes in the city with protective shields dna based dropping domestic crimes to an eighth of the heart stopping figure. Break ins and home invasions were imagined a thing of the past hopefully in the near future with a debilitating shock dealt to any triggering a physical altercation followed by their being ejected from the home and locked out. All including heavy barriers withstanding any weapon on earth, including any Stark could dredge up, meaning cities no longer had to incur hefty repair bills when the Avengers had passed through.

More than smart homes, safe homes, with little modifications to trouble those agreeing to install them, clearly it wasn’t human tech, just like other companies taking advantage of the invasions you had no doubt done the same. Soon to be joined with personal shields to protect people, their cars and possessions on had from threats. Yet instead of painting your product similar to the Chitauri invading force or shaping it like their craft or the giant flying whales you had somehow used their tech to create yours and even with stolen documents and diagrams by Antman, they couldn’t be deciphered by any on earth or even their resident Asgardian Prince. Thor had told them to ask Loki, yet to keep any hint on how to use the tech against them again it was kept out of his sights and knowledge leaving them all in the dark and suspicious of you.

Another gala was held and you were once again entering Stark tower and answered the same tries at his leading questions you had the answers to. Around the room you went and a clear hiding place became apparent, into the study you strolled and feigned reading the titles, only to draw your own book from your clutch, feeling his entrance onto the floor. Clad in black with a green cape billowing behind him with a golden helmet was how he had been introduced to this planet, and again clad in black, though this time a very different kind of suit with much longer hair slicked back with a hopeless expression in his eyes. You knew Stark, better than he understood, and this gentle stranger needed your help, even if he didn’t realize it.

. .

Steadily you had made the offer and you couldn’t have been more elated when he was on the other side of those elevator doors. A simple offer and tour later and you were exhaling on the other side of the door turning around to head back upstairs to change for your flight. Right after the ten hour flight you would have to head to a luncheon, a wiggle helped you out of your dress you waved a finger sending it to its hanger while the heels you stepped out of flew to their own cubby in your wall of shoes.

With a nip at your lip you removed the pasties from your breasts necessary for the low dipping neck and need to go braless. Adding a comfortable midnight blue bra matching your lower cheek revealing panties under the tight shorts you wore under the dress to hide any lines and the dark outline possible through the pale yellow silk skirt.

Black stockings, solid black to the mid thigh and sheer black above that, were added with a velvet short sleeved navy dress reaching to your mid thigh with a slight flare after the hugging top. Over those your favorite platform black booties were added and you turned to swap all in your clutch into your usual brown leather satchel you used for traveling.

Moving back to your bedroom you confirmed you had all your traveling papers only to glance back at your phone buzzing with a message that your jet was ready. Grabbing your bags you made the walk out your apartment you locked up behind you down to the lobby and into your waiting car that the driver eagerly helped to put your bag into the trunk. Another buzz of your phone stirred a smirk onto your lips seeing the number for Loki’s phone pop up in a call. “Think up some more questions?”

Through the line you heard his rummaging around in his room in ensuring he had packed all his things, and the Prince anxiously wet his lips asking, _“No, actually, I was wondering if you had a spare seat on that flight of yours?”_

“We’ll swing by and get you. Everything alright?” You asked at the muffled shouts heard through his door.

Hastily he answered, _“Your offer, I accept.”_

Holding back your chuckle you grinned and lowered your phone after seeing Loki appearing across the street when he hung up and trotted across the street to add his bags to the trunk then flashed the driver a quick grin in his easing through the door opened for him matched with his soft thanks. Wetting his lips he pocketed his phone then caught your eye saying, “I accept your offer.”

His brow inched up at your weak chuckle and nod in returning your phone to your purse. “I have a feeling this acceptance is due to something Stark said,” his lips parted then closed as you said, “Let’s go to Paris, you get a vacation, another try out, so to speak, to see if you can tolerate my company past a few minutes. When we get back you can give me your answer. Either way, yes or no I’ll make sure you have a safe place to stay out of Stark’s reach. Agreed?”

Curiously his eyes looked over your face wondering at your reluctance to win so easily in this abrupt change, yet still he nodded and answered in the pulling out of the car into the street, “Agreed.”

To keep from staring up into his pure blue eyes you turned your gaze to your current level of Candy Crush and after a few more moments looking you over he pulled out the tablet from the satchel on his lap to start on his design of his apartment. Fully agreeing already after seeing he could not handle living under Stark’s thumb anymore. And even though you had promised him a safe dwelling even in refusal he had no wish to find out what he would have to face in that circumstance. Already at the worst, if you were evil, between you and Stark you were a much greater ally to him even as a stranger. One if things did turn for the worst he could easily dispose of, a much dreaded truth for him as you were quite the exquisite creature he wished to learn more of, yet disposable all the same.


	2. Chapter 2

The drive to the airport was pleasantly silent and at the bustling turn off from the main airport to the quieter air strip he eyed the oddly silver jet making his eyes narrow for a moment at the advanced craft even greater than Stark’s private fleet. He placed the tablet back in his bag after saving is plans so far with his bedroom he had decided to start in, choosing to decide on the less necessary rooms to later. Glancing over at you he wet his lips and asked, “What exactly are the plans after we land?”

“I have a suite we can drop our things at, and then there’s a simple luncheon. Rarely lasts two hours at the most, then you can explore the city if you like.”

“You would not wish to explore?” More shocked than hurt that you would leave him to his devices in a foreign country.

Giggling weakly you replied, “If you would like me to join you I will. I do always stop for some window shopping, we could pick you out a few things if you like.”

He nodded replying rather ashamedly, “I only have a few sets of Midguardian clothes.”

Your brows narrowed for a moment and when his eyes dropped his chest clenched seeing your restraint to reach out and touch him, his eyes however snapped up again at your asking, “Can I touch your arm?” A flinch of a nod later and his body heaved out a breath of relief at your hand rising to settle on his bicep, the act of gaining his consent stinging him all the more as to how he was treated in the tower, bumped, jostled and even knocked around or out of the way.

Now even a simple kind gesture meant so much towards his being able to trust you, “After the luncheon we will change that.” You paused then stated, “There’s no shame in starting over you know. And this may not be your home but I do hope it might at least be a more pleasant rest stop on your way back than how Stark has made it.” Before he could nod or say anything your hand left his arm and out of the parked car you stepped with him sliding out after shaking his head fighting against the internal scream about not having been faster to help you out he joined you on the tarmac.

Inside the cozy jet he settled into the seat beside yours along the back wall adding his bag to the locker in the wall to his left as you did with yours on your right to buckle up for take off. Once in the air and given the go ahead he was back to his designing while you pulled out a book from your bag to read through. A stop from him into the toilet however had him returning to find you with eyes closed lounged back in your reclined seat facing the window. With a soft smirk on his face he removed his jacket he flicked out to his side turning it into a fuzzy blanket he draped over you carefully, tucking it around your shoulders and shoeless feet making sure not to disturb your shoes against the wall before taking his seat again.

Wetting his lips he settled back into his seat hearing the argument Stark had riled up upon his return to the tower. _“You are forbidden to be alone with her again!”_

Loki’s chest puffed up, _“Forbidden?!”_ Thor stepped between them shouting at Stark reminding him Loki was his brother and could be trusted stirring up the argument again.

That was all it took making him turn only to stop at Bucky’s stating, _“I got no clue what’s up with her, but she’s bad news. Even I can tell to steer clear.”_

Steve nodded, _“You’re doing well, just tough it out, you can make tons of friends.”_

Loki scoffed at that and continued on to his room only to hear Tony shouting, _“She’s a fraud, Loki!”_ He glanced back at the man continuing on around the corner as he added, _“I’ve checked, there is no Jaqi Pear! She doesn’t exist! Even SHIELD can’t figure her out!”_

Again to himself he muttered, “Stark knows nothing.”

You had said it yourself, Stark is not the only one with resources. Instead of remaining as Tony’s pet, a title he reluctantly accepted after months of teasing from the whole team that Loki was a terrible ‘Sugar Baby’ for the philanthropist, he would never be anything close to a possession of his again. Nights he had sat up reading all he could on the term and relationship of these so called ‘Sugar’ Parents, he never dreamed he would have to stoop so low, but safely in this jet at your side with a hint of hope for his path ahead he knew he would relent. Thankfully you had not once mentioned the term and hopefully never bring up in regards to him, he would be greatly in your debt but never your possession.

.

A deep inhale from you had his head turning from the completed dining and living room after having drafted a timid try at a study. All his choices so similar to yours he hoped you might take it as a compliment and not that he was simply copying your layout in a lack of imagination. Subtly you wiggled in your seat and sat up feeling the blanket covering you slide down from your shoulders making you glance from it to the only possible source of it. From the tablet to you he looked and flashed you a sheepish grin in your giggling, “Thank you for the blanket.”

He shook his head, “Not at all. Least I could do is keep you warm.” He replied accepting the blanket from you he gave a shake to making you smirk in the flick of his wrist making it shift back into his jacket. Laying it across his lap he couldn’t help but smile to himself in your glance away to the window hearing the telling bing signaling your approach to land. The warmth radiating in his chest in the short time with you already steadying his nerves in granting you his trust, this was a nerve wracking trip, wondering what this first event would hold for him.

Packing away his tablet he subtly watched you adding your heels again trailing his eyes over those legs of yours then they snapped to the window overlooking the city in the distance from the small airstrip you were landing at. A barely jostling landing later and he joined you on his feet following you out of the jet and onto the tarmac spying the waiting car and sparse cameras in the distance capturing your arrival in the slew of famous faces who had arrived today already.

Into the car he slid after you that already had your bags transferred into it and curiously he followed your finger to the locations you pointed out to the Prince with pitifully masked fear and doubt in his eyes taking in the fabled city of romance. The city held so much potential for what was to come and he was strangely eager to find out for himself what that might be. A short drive brought you to a lavish hotel, in which you seemed to be well known in, and were passed the keys to your suite you rode up the elevator to. With bags in hand you wheeled through the door into your rooms separated by the sitting room lit with sunlight. Back into the doorway he strolled asking you when you exited yours, “Am I dressed suitably?”

“You might be a tad overdressed.”

He nodded and wet his lips, “I have a blue one, shirt, a light blue, if that would suit the occasion?” The soft grin and nod on your face said it all and he let out a weak chuckle turning to head back into his room removing his jacket he tossed casually onto the bed beside his bag.

In the tug at his tie he heard the shift of the floorboards in your turn to find something else to look at instead of the back of the tight shirt wearing Prince in the middle of undoing his top button under his neck. The action granting him a chance to confirm in a glance back over his shoulder that you weren’t in his doorway anymore, somehow your moment of gawking buffed up his pride and the sudden turn away stirred a smirk onto his face in the bolstering of his pride even more imagining you might have been embarrassed to possibly be caught staring.

Easily he brought out his robins egg blue shirt he slid on over his arms after. The buttons on his wrists were secured first with the ones down his chest next, though this time he left the first two unbuttoned and tucked in the base of it in his turn back to the doorway. Final adjustments were made and anxiously he lowered his gaze to his sleeves he hastily undid the buttons on when you turned at the sound of his step stirring a shift in the wood under his foot. Chuckling to yourself you stepped closer and caught his anxious glance up at you with brows raised in your saying, “Here, allow me,” his free hand dropped from fumbling a fold in his sleeve you straightened only to start a cleaner fold.

“I will get more practiced in more casual attire.” He rambled out to you in a failed confident tone in the puzzling racing of his heart at the mixture of your nearness, perfume and barely there presses of your fingertips in the task you were focused on.

Up to his elbow you folded it then lowered your hands and moved onto the sleeve on the arm he offered you without hesitation. Slowly his fingers curled limply, unneeded in his inspection of every detail on your face and expression. Everything seemed so peaceful with you, and each move you took around him was so gentle, even your confident offer, so restrained when clearly the world had seen him be thrown off buildings, bashed into the ground and even shot or almost blown up.

He could take any blow offered yet the gentle guidance from you was almost debilitating and making him question what he had done to earn such kindness. Again his mind kept wandering back to how you knew how casually cruel Stark was, and only felt himself get more worked up imagining him going after you the same way until you had possibly managed to shake him free, now clearly leaving him at great odds with you enough to call you a fraud.

Lips. The movement of your lips broke his thoughts and he caught your saying, “Breathe, Prince Loki. It is just a luncheon, nice and simple, if you remember to breathe. Blue is a nice color on you,” His brow twitched when your eyes met his in a smirk, “but I doubt it would be favorable to your vacation have you start by passing out from lack of air.”

Chuckling under his breath he nodded in the lowering of your hands making him wet his lips anxiously at the loss of your contact already until a simple adjustment of his collar made him swallow dryly. When your hand dropped again his hand extended to ease around your palm stirring a soft grin onto both of your faces in his question, “Shall we?”

With your nod you led the way back to the elevator and out to the waiting car relaxing into his gentle hold. The ten minute drive your joined hands rested on the seat between your thighs keeping him from scooting closer.

And when the door was opened again he surveyed everything outside the garden surrounded building completely white and open accepting the warm breeze. Crowds of people milled about and still with the Prince loosely clinging to your hand you led the way through the flashing cameras and apparent art exhibit inside. Chatter echoed around at silently the pair of you inspected each piece. Until at the third awkward blob of glass and wire a giggle broke free from you instantly splitting a grin across Loki’s face in his own gladly released chuckle under his breath at your shared oblivious take on the subject or how it tied to the subject of liberty.

Subtly from there hushed sharing of opinions were had until the approach of the artist himself broke Loki’s hand from yours to allow the man to cup and pat then audaciously kiss the knuckles of your hand in a blatant flirtatious display ending when he moved to greet Loki then learned he was a Prince stilling the game of trying to woo you. The approach of a camera had you three turn and grin for the picture with Loki’s hand gently molding to your upper back over your ribs. The contact remained in the near constant approach of others all the way through to the assigned table for you in the gardens under the white tents. Far more pleasantly he was treated here as your guest, true there were those who knew him and yet at your acceptance he was treated kindly and spoken to as any other through the light meal. Truly he hadn’t smiled this much in a long time, genuinely smiled, not just pretending for himself or anyone else.

.

With your hand reclaimed in your filing out to the streets again his hand shifted for a tighter hold and he watched the path you led him on foot through the city to the first shop of your choosing.

Soft lighting filled the wooden den of designer thread heaven. In awe of everything around him suddenly an option of being his a smirk ghosted across his face and he began to prowl. Basics were gathered and stretching from his usual black wardrobe colors were added, mainly in shirts or ties and in the growing stack of clothes being added to the rack an attendant was rolling behind him after seeing all he was choosing. Still he kept stealing glances at you curious where you would draw the line, the only line drawn however was in the curious furrow of your brows at a yellow shirt he thought might make you smile.

Glancing between it and you he asked, “Is it too much?”

Shaking your head you drew his attention to just how sheer the fabric was by holding your hand between the layers saying, “Just, a bit sheer. Unless that’s why you picked it.”

“Hmm.” Pursing his lips he set it back and swiveled his head and kept his hold on your hand guiding you towards the distant selection of yellow in the distance making you smirk to yourself.

Subtly you slid your charge card into his back left pocket on the approach to the register ringing up his selection to lessen your wait. At which he smirked and passed it over to the grinning manager while the aid finished folding the last of his choices into the bags he zapped to your hotel suite after pocketing your card and receipt. Out through the door you strolled and he smirked down at you in your saying, “You know what you need?” His brow ticked up and you answered your own question, “Shoes.” Making him chuckle, “Never know what the evening might call for.”

Earning an agreeing nod from him, “True. Lead the way, I am completely at your mercy.” You rolled your eyes and looked forward again and his fingers adjusted around your palm in avoiding another couple passing on a pair of bicycles.

When his gaze turned back to you he couldn’t help but smirk in taking your side again, he had all he needed, keys, you card, a good sense of what you looked, acted and sounded like. All he needed to take your place and take it all for himself. But he didn’t, or wouldn’t rather. Just like any other mortal to kill you would be easy, at least physically, emotionally however, what you said was true, it was possible for you to become great friends. It was possible for him to have a person he could trust on this planet, something Thor even didn’t realize he lacked. And even more importantly after all he’d faced, the confusing innocence you held somehow gave him hope, for what he didn’t know, but feeling it meant all the world to him right now.

.

A trio of choices from the wood wrapped and glass accented shoe shop were chosen and stealing a glimpse your way Loki asked, “I hate to be rude, however, would a meal be out of the question?”

A giggled reply of, “I didn’t want to say anything to put you off going. Luncheons rarely are filling for me. But I know a lovely place you might enjoy.”

“Sounds marvelous. I trust your judgment. You haven’t led me astray so far.”

An awkward giggle was his answer and only made his grin flinch wider in his wonder at where you might be taking him when the momentary indulgence of his fanaticizing a soft blush onto your cheeks would have had anything to do with his smile at you.

Where the luncheon was lavish the little cozy hole in the wall family owned place welcomed you both gladly and straight to what he took was your usual booth you were led. True it was smaller than the others and it meant he had to mind his elbow in comparison to yours.

First assumptions of this being your usual booth were second guessed at the stolen smirking glances your way being taken as the staff’s way to aid in setting you both up for an intimate meal accented with candle light in the nearing sunset luring his eyes to you. There he sat in a cozy booth beside a stunning woman whom he had to let go of to look at the deep turquoise menu in a language he couldn’t decipher.

“Can you read French?” The question had him meeting your gaze shaking his head subtly trying not to make the admission obvious as to not embarrass you.

“Well then, what are you in the mood for?”

The curious grin on your face calming his nerves enough to ask, “What’s this section on?”

Following his finger you read aloud, “Veal.”

He nodded and you went through each divided section naming them dividing it down greatly in his idea of what he might choose though still he began to choose a few options enjoying the hint of joy in the act of aiding his clueless moment. A final choice was pointed to and he asked, “What about this one?”

“Escargot, it’s snails.”

Instantly his brows shot up lowly asking in a lean closer to you, “Snails? You eat that?”

Shaking your head giggling, “No. It is a traditional French dish, I believe, if it’s older than that I don’t know where it could be from. But no, I have a rule against eating animals that live in shells, it just doesn’t seem fair.” You looked away sheepishly and he smiled again looking at the third thing you had translated he had decided on trying in hearing it was one of your top favorites.

All through the meal the efforts the rest of the crew went to in adding some romance to your evening. Again he placed the card on the bill and you subtly signed after he filled in the tip and the total then you made your ways out to the street again for the short walk to the hotel on which he claimed your hand again once he summoned his jacket to drape around your shoulders. The final goodnight came in a handing off of his jacket and a pause in the doorway left the stunned Prince realizing he was about to sleep alone in a suite with a woman.

Closing the door behind him hastily he locked it, even though he doubted he needed to, just out of his reminders of decency from his mother, that as a Prince he would have to honor. Stripped to his pajamas he stole another glance at the locked door and settled down into the bed under the covers he brushed back mumbling, “Just go to sleep.” Heavily he sighed and closed his eyes mumbling, “Nonsense, no danger here. Just sleep…” Again he sighed and mumbled, “Heimdall, note the locked door.”

A chuckle echoed lowly in the Prince’s mind with a rumbling reply teasing him back, “What is more noteworthy is the voice of the euphoric creature who offered you fealty.” Loki’s huff made the golden eyed guard chuckle again then say, “Do not worry Prince Loki. Queen Frigga approves.” The comment made the Prince’s eyes flinch open for a moment then close again in his wondering as to what she could have uncovered on you to have you fully approved by his very selective mother.


	3. Chapter 3

Crepes, eggs, toast and fresh fruit, the scents filled the air along with a whiff of brewing tea and welcomed the Prince back to consciousness. A wide grin spreading across his lips on his sitting up to look over the room he had been given confirming it wasn’t a dream. In his move to shift from bed he turned his head looking at the buzzing phone on the nightstand he had silenced the day before. Lifting it curiously he eyed the list of unanswered texts from Thor, whom he had sent a message the night before to keep him from flying into another downward spiral after the last time he imagined he’d been lost to his brother. With a sigh Loki raised the phone and went into the bathroom to freshen up before joining you.

“Good morning Thor. I am well.”

Thor promptly fired back, _“Where is she keeping you?!”_

“I joined Miss Pear on her trip to Paris. We will be back in a few days, upon which she is allowing me to move in with her.”

_“Brother, Stark does not trust her!”_

“Nor does he trust me. The trust of that Midguardian matters little to me.”

_“Brother you should be careful.”_

“I have consulted Heimdal, who informed me Mother approves of my place with Miss Pear.”

Thor, losing his protective rage asked, _“Where are you going to live?”_

Loki, “Fifth Avenue. Quite an impressive estate, even in the city.”

_“Will I be allowed to visit you?”_

“Yes, however you will be restricted against using Mjolner inside. Miss Pear has seen you call it before and does not wish for there to be any damage to the building.”

_“Why would I damage your new home? Have you uncovered the mystery behind Miss Pear’s identity?”_

“That matters little. I see no sinister motive or behavior from Miss Pear, no matter what Stark says. If there is a reason her name had to be changed I am certain it was for good reason.”

_“Stark asked me not to share this with you, however, her technology is well beyond what even Stark can design. That is why he is frightened of her.”_

“Her jet is more powerful too. However, Stark is not the only one with connections. Stark has been producing his own creations for just years now, her company has been around for over a decade now.”

_“True.”_

“Now, If you will excuse me, my breakfast is getting cold.”

_“Stay safe Brother.”_

“Try to not let Stark worry you. I will message you later.”

Once his teeth were brushed he exited the room and joined you at the table with an easy grin seeing you primped and fully dressed for the day, “My apologies, I had to message my brother to calm him down. He worries so since the last time he believed me dead.”

“Not a problem.”

Flicking his napkin out he then draped across his lap he said, “It looks delicious, thank you.”

“Well I figured you might be waking up hungry soon. Better to be prepared.”

Slicing a piece of the crepe off his eyes lingered on yours asking, “Busy day today, Miss Pear?” Lifting the piece to ease off the fork between his lips.

“Jaqi, and not really. Few brief stops, but all that should be through by three at the latest.”

He nodded as he swallowed the piece after chewing then wet his lips to ask, “I shall have a lunch prepared for you then.”

His brow twitched in your smirk at him saying, “No need to limit your day. You have my card, your key to the room is by the fruit bowl in the sitting room. Enjoy Paris, don’t limit your trip on my account.”

“I insist, Miss Pear.”

Making you chuckle to yourself, and playfully reply, “How could I argue against that, Prince Loki.” Looking down again to fill your fork his actions paused and he looked you over not understanding his moment of irritation at your addressing him formally after he had insisted on doing the same for you.”

Through the meal you shared more at his asking of your tedious stops before you filled the empty breakfast cart he pushed outside the room as you left saying, “Enjoy Paris. You have my number if you need anything and if you require it the app with the lettered boulder on it is a translating app.” He nodded and turned inside, closing the door and peering around only to feel as his moments of tentative inspection of his new surroundings had passed a smile spreading across his face at his freedom to inspect the city. Or at least the closest few blocks as to not wander too far should you return early or need him for something.

Mint green was the choice of shirt he had chosen, his smirk continued to spread in adding his new slacks and dress boots to complete the look after his daily primping had been taken care of. A stolen moment inspecting his reflection his heart fluttered on the cusp of feeling happy at the chance of freedom. With the key and card in his pocket he made his way down the hall to the elevator, a short ride later and the lobby sat mostly empty but no less full of life in the chattering of those scattered throughout. The streets seemed to give off a sensation of ease lulling him into the direction of the markets nearby.

Small shops welcomed and each held new glimmers of nostalgia he could possibly purchase to remember this trip. Not one in the first shop seemed right though, it had to be just right, if he was to be spending a great deal of time with you he would want it to be something meaningful. A tap of the app on his phone and he smirked as it translated the conversations of the people he passed in subtitles across the screen above the musical note icon he had to press for his worlds to be translated for them in return. This was enjoyable, simply sneaking peaks into the lives of those around him while he browsed.

Still he wished to learn for himself, he knew several languages from back home and had to pick up Mandarin and Russian when in hiding in his first trip to earth. But you spoke French and had hinted to knowing more languages as well, and traveled here often, the poetry and classics of this world often hinted to France or even Italy, so those were two he had to learn if not for his own pleasure but to possibly impress you.

It was something he wanted to shake, an overpowering urge to be worthy, to be impressive and treasured for himself, something only his mother had done. And now he wanted that from you, his tiny protector, he wanted, if he would see himself as a prize of some sort to be the best in your possession to keep you from wandering to any other. You had mentioned him traveling home, he could leave yes, but he never wanted you to be the one to leave him, because if he left to Asgard he could always come back, he would never just abandon you. Yet if this was truly just financial for you that notion absolutely terrified him. If it was just pity or empathy, it would crush him, if it was nothing more than a kind hand out instead of something genuine, something that could grow or be built on in time. He had found something, no, someone truly precious to him here, even if he didn’t understand why yet, and he never wanted to have that tie severed beyond repair.

Tapes and a book on learning French were collected and paid for from this shop and then he was onto the next where he found his reminder, a color splattered painting with a man and woman silhouetted under an umbrella facing one another with hands locked. You weren’t a couple yet your statement of holding an umbrella over his head stuck with him, a subtle beginning marked in something you both would only know. It was just a photograph sized painting on a flat easel he could easily mount with one of those annoying stick backed hooks from the commercials spouting that there was no damage to the walls that sent Hawkeye into a rant about decorations his girls wanted up that all decided to drop at the same time in the middle of the night terrifying the house with sudden screams.

Chuckling to himself he continued to browse around the block then went back to the hotel to wait for you. Lounging on a couch he kicked his feet up and settled back with book in hand hearing the first introductory statement on the learning French tapes he put on from the player he got from his bag when putting the painting away. Grinning to himself at the new challenge ahead.

**

Slender with a wooden handle coated in golden etchings tapering up to a silver column topped with a crystal flame with three bent prongs surrounding it the long elegant pen in your hand slid to the end of your fingers to be flipped up again to slide down once more above your lap. A rare design none on this planet could ever find again, at least not for the purpose intended, all contracts had been signed necessary and the pen tip had been twisted back inside again hidden behind the sliding hatch. Your godfather had given it to you and for what it could do it marked the half of your lineage from your mother’s side.

A long assumed dead race you and your father had helped tear from an extinction of a war through a wormhole landing you here, though taking out a blasted Dalek ship by crashing it into a hoard of Weeping Angels formations. Though one seemed to clip part of your ship landing you on this planet instead of the clear half of the galaxy Gallifrey. Stuck on this planet away from the restored planet your mother was currently serving a life sentence on, though you were allowed supervised visitations each decade. Another of which was coming up meaning you would have to think of what to say to Loki when they arrived with her.

It wasn’t hard keeping focused on the tasks sent to you here, tiny things here and there the Council had warned you of. True they could have just sent you the parts necessary, though with the strict limits on who could travel to this Earth your delivery had been backdated for quite some time, which for a race of time travelers was absurd to say the least. So the attack of the Chitauri Loki had led here was excellent, not exactly what you needed but it laid the groundwork to craft what you did from their core elements. Loki might not fully understand just what he had done for you but you owed him a great deal more than just suits and comfort.

A glimpse up had your grin easing across your lips again in accepting another piece of paper you eyed the basic write up on. The crude outline with your pen was corrected and edited into a far more logical plan none of these modern eclectic obsessed millennials all hoping to break their first million by hitching their wagons to your successful company. No matter what though their egos would never be pleased and you were starting to get quite a reputation as picky and honestly you didn’t really care as long as your task was being handled to the T. Tiny things you were allowed to assist with, and your tiny thing would coat most major cities by the end of three years from now, but it was allowed for the grander scheme of things. Major cities was where they went to remain on the borders, to blend in, to be seen but unseen, and you had to do what you could to destroy the few Weeping Angels that had fallen to Earth with you.

A few more flips of your pen and you pocketed your pen that eased right into its shrinking holster inside of your pocket to keep it from being stolen, through the stroll back into the hall you headed straight for the elevator. Turning at the cautioning sign you made the way to the stairs drawing out your phone at a call from one of your workers from New York. “Trish, how is the Bechkmen deal going?” You asked trotting down the stairs.

_“Good, we have confirmation of the final delivery, that’s been emailed to you. Should be installed by next week. How’d the meeting go with Tula?”_

“Good, not even 20 minutes and done.”

_“You only stayed 15 minutes? Are you kidding me? How do you even do that?”_

Softly you giggled, “What can I say, inherited my Daddy’s charm and Momma’s wicked schemes. Hard to argue with me, especially when my name’s on all the papers and buildings.”

She chuckled replying as you reached the ground floor, _“About the papers, a certain Prince has been spotted on your arm in Paris, anything serious?”_

With a grin you replied, “I’m going to be hopeful, so it could be.”

_“Well I hope so too, Lord knows you deserve a good romance after all this business nonsense. Nonstop for years now with not a date in sight. I was about to buy you a cat.”_

“Hey, cats are adorable, and would probably suit my lifestyle better than a puppy. Very self sufficient.” Making her giggle as you did, “I will be fine, enjoy your weekend trip with Stanley.”

She giggled again, _“I will, enjoy your Prince.”_

“I will, Ta.”

A buzz from your phone came from a message Loki had sent making you smirk, _“Ordered lunch, hope chicken will suit your tastes for the evening.”_

“Chicken sounds perfect. Be back in ten.”

**

Wetting his lips Loki fidgeted his fingers strolling around the table correcting the seats after timing your arrival to the second. Again he stole another glance at the tablet and eyed the confirmation box asking if he was certain if he wanted to place his order flashing over the itemized list of all he had chosen. The ding of the elevator spread a grin across his lips and he had to fight against racing to the door, a knock however had him heading over to it anyways. The food tray was eased in and emptied on the table with wine uncorked and the man accepting a bill from the amount you had given him earlier in case he needed cash then hurried out with a grin of his own. Again Loki circled the table correcting the alignment and grinned again hearing the elevator once more and the key in the door not a moment after.

Peering around anxiously he grabbed the tablet then sat on the edge of the living room feigning distraction so he could peer up aloofly with a quick grin, “Ah, just in time. Food only just arrived.”

“Good.” Crossing the room you eyed his rise from the couch and glanced at the tablet he seemed eager to show you, “Decide on your layout?”

“Partly,” he wet his lips and showed you the screen with the flashing confirm button making you smirk up at him, “Looks like all you have to do is push that button.” Passing him to stroll to the table you could hear him turn around, his lips pursed in a moment of panic until you turned lifting the wine bottle to fill the glasses set out.

“That’s it?”

Your eyes shifted to him and he inhaled straightening on his feet tapping his fingers against the back of the tablet, “If you are certain, just, hit the button.”

“You do, not even want, to check the list?”

“Why would I?” You asked lifting your glass to your lips for a sip.

“I-,” he glanced down at the tablet again then up to you and then down again and hit the button, peering up again just as fast when it flashed and turned to an icon spiraling then changing into another icon reading ‘Ordered’ looking up again he caught your smirk in extending the other glass of wine.

In a step closer he reached out accepting it with a sheepish grin melting wider at your lifting your glass in a mock toast in which his brow inched up and you said, “You don’t need my approval. You’ve got way more sense than others assume.”

After his sip he swallowed and his brow ticked up, “Many would argue that fact.”

“Oh yes, Banner for one, calling you a, bag of cats, I believe it was.” You said sitting down in the chair behind you.

“Among other things.” He mumbled and took another sip of wine lowering to sit in the chair at your left.

“You are not a bag of cats,”

“Clearly,”

Making you smirk as you teased, “Elk in a blazer seems more fitting,”

A chortle from him had him puckering his lips to keep from spitting out his wine in a playful glance sent your way in your lifting your forks and the lid to your food to be set aside. “Funny.”

“Well I had to mention the horns.” Making him chuckle in uncovering his own plate, “Lovely choice on lunch. Did you enjoy the city?”

“I traveled the block. It was fun.”

“Good. Saw some for a film if you were up for it tonight, unless you’d rather stay in? Get a glimpse of Paris at night.”

Loki grinned at you, “Sounds lovely.”

“Don’t worry, this theater plays the classics complete with subtitles instead of French dubbing, I have a feeling you’ll enjoy it.”

.

A day of relaxing and exploring for him lapsed into a night out where his hand fixed in yours again and he grinned kindly at the people you spoke with and he kept glancing back along the way seeing the familiar blonde disguised Natasha sneaking after you both. In a glance back down at you he wet his lips as you asked, “Just Natasha or is Hawkeye with her?”

“I, haven’t seen him.”

“Pity, he hates black and white films.”

“They follow you often?”

Smirking at him you replied, “They won’t for long, they always leave.”

“And why is that?”

“Let’s just say they always tend to get distracted.” A subtle reach into your pocket brought out your phone he saw as you were waiting for tickets, you tapped an app with a bright red A and it automatically triggered the phone Stark had given her to start broadcasting one of those screaming goats videos making her cuss and start frantically tapping the buttonless screen. Her stolen glance up at you both had her huff at your joint wave at her in her eye rolling turn away making you giggle and say, “You should have seen Hawkeye jump the first time I set that off.”

Making him chuckle, “How long have they been following you?”

“Them, few years. Mainly a few hours till I catch them then they can enjoy the city. One time Hawkeye brought his family out to Florida to see the sights when I caught him.”

“At least he’s getting some use out of it.” He wet his lips then said, “How did you do that? With your phone?”

“Oh, Stark uses the same basic security SHIELD does. Easy to hack and broadcast what you want.”

“So, if you can do that, why haven’t you broken up his company or anything like that?”

Smirking up at him you said, “Because I prefer to be a nuisance right back to him, not ruin the lives of all his employees.”

“Ah, because you couldn’t possibly just take over and knock him out.”

“If you knew my family you would know that to be impossible.” Stepping forward you selected the tickets and he paid leading the way into the theater, he wanted to ask more about your family but didn’t think it proper for knowing you for so little amount of time. Though it was added to his list of things to do once he had settled in.

.

Night again had him parting with you in opposite doorways and the morning had another parting after breakfast freeing the Prince to try for another round in the blocks of shops around the hotel. Two streets after he’d left he vanished from sight startling Natasha in her seat at a café, flinching clearly at his popping up in the seat beside her Loki asked, “Are you quite done stalking me?”

Turning her head she asked, “How did you spot me?”

Loki, “You have no shifting abilities, and what could Stark possibly want? I am sight seeing. Is he afraid more Chitauri are going to come raining down from the sky because that is what he is pushing me to.”

“Stark is more curious what Pear wants from you.”

Straight faced he replied, “She’s hired me as her personal hooker.” Natasha raised a brow at him and he said, “I’ve been alive for over a thousand and a half years, you would be surprised what I have learned. There’s your answer.”

“An entire wardrobe for her hooker?”

“Pretty woman is fairly common a film, besides, I perform better when I look good. A trait you might find sympathies with.”

Smirking at him she raised her cup again, “Hooker,” taking a sip finishing the cup, “Hooker it is. Enjoy Paris, Prince Loki.” She stood up and chuckled to herself, “Oh I can’t wait to tell Stark.” Catching his smirk she said, “I’ll send you pictures.”

“I look forward to them. Enjoy your flight.”

“Oh I will,” she said lowering her sunglasses from the top of her head in her saunter for her sports car parked by the side of the street. Making him smirk and get up continuing on his way to explore more of the city in her path to the waiting jet.

**

Thor, fully enraged inhaled and in Stark’s irritated brow twitch at Natasha the blonde Prince stated, “My brother is no Hooker!”

Natasha shrugged, “I am merely stating the facts. She is dropping a lot of cash on him for someone she just met.”

Thor, “That does not mean he is her Hooker! He informed me Mother knows of her and approves of his place living with her!”

Stark, “Woah,woah! Living? With her?”

Thor nodded, “Yes, Loki stated that she had agreed to house him when they returned.”

Stark, ‘That was the first time they have spoken! He nearly destroyed the world!”

Natasha, “To be fair, the past few years we’ve done more damage than he has. Thor alone-,”

Stark waved his hand, “That is beside the point.”

Thor, “If Loki trusts her I trust her.”

Stark turned to him, “He’s stabbed you!”

Thor waved his hand, “He is my brother. What brothers haven’t traded non lethal blows from time to time?”

Sam, “Most siblings, at least on this planet.”

Vision next to Wanda stated, “Statistically, Sam would be correct.”

Natasha, “Either way, they know you’ve been having them followed. Pear’s caught us each time for years now.”

Stark, ‘I’ll just have to send someone they don’t expect.”


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ok, finally got my brain to focus after a hellish thursday to my work week. Here you go, hope you enjoy it. :D

Hours Loki enjoyed the area around the hotel, until lunch came and a growl of his stomach had him looking to his phone again only to pause at your message popping up reading, “You look hungry.”

Looking up he glanced around only to smirk at your wave from across the street. A smirk eased across his lips in his check of the street he crossed to reach your side. “Busy day?” He asked upon reaching you.

“Not particularly busy. See you passed the block.”

He let out a weak chuckle, “Yes, I did.”

“Now, tomorrow we are flying back, so I thought tonight, I might show you the sights.”

For the rest for the day after your lunch Loki stood in awe of all you showed him through the capital city, though in each passing couple and destination along the way triggering others into taking pictures of themselves in varying stages of entanglement. The passing reminders of how couples would truly act at these locations brought out the phone you had given him and a trio of images were captured for each, one alone of either him or you, one together and one of the varying elements of the place he appreciated. By sunrise you both were showered and off to the airstrip with the Prince still grinning through most of the take off and first hour of the flight until he joined you in sleeping on your reclined seats for most of the rest of the flight.

.

Wheels lowered and down to earth you came and out to the waiting car you strolled. Inside it however his phone was brought out seeing Thor’s message once he turned it back on to call him when he had gotten back so he could see the new place. The drawing of your phone had him looking at you as you said, “Your furniture should be arriving in an hour. Just in time.”

Wetting his lips he looked you over saying, “Thor wished to drop by.”

“No doubt he is curious to see where I’ve stolen you away to.” You said with a smirk.

“Actually,” hastily he wet his lips and said, “There is one thing, it would be best to share now.” In your stroll out of the car and into the building.

Glancing at him you flashed him a curious grin in your first steps up to the second story, “You chose a bright pink color scheme?”

Shaking his head in a weak chuckle he forced out, “What? No.” he wet his lips again confirming that you were alone on the way to the third floor, “I told Natasha I was your hooker.”

A pause in your steps let a giggle escape from you, “Good for you. I am not going to lie to you, I am definitely flattered to be your pretend patron.” He glanced at you again and you let out another giggle, “What? You assumed I would force you to perform now?”

Stopping outside your apartment door you unlocked you caught his averted gaze and timid response, “No, of course not. I would never assume your interest in me past purely-, I’m certainly not Thor…”

Poking him in the stomach his eyes flinched back to you with brows raised and his lips pursed for a moment in shock at the sudden contact, “No! You are not telling me you are the lesser of two brothers on Asgard.”

Curiously his brows furrowed and at your brow arching up he replied, “I am the lesser of two brothers here as well.” A scoff from you had him following you inside, leaving his bag by the door following you through your main floor to your kitchen passing your bag you left beside the couch. “It is a fact.”

Turning around at the fridge you opened you asked, “For who?” Grabbing a bottle of juice for yourself you grabbed another to offer to him.

“Thank you.” He accepted the bottle and set it down resting his hand on the island on his left inhaling sharply before asking, “I don’t understand your question.”

Smirking after your sip you set your bottle down on the island standing across from him resting your hip against it shifting the waistband on your jeans and bottom of your blouse in doing so. Resting a hand on the counter at your side you replied, “Loki, ok,” you wet your lips, “I am going to say something you might take offense to,” he nodded looking over your face trying to take in each detail, “Thor is attractive, yes, in a giant puppy of a Prince sort of way. All happy and peppy to see you and craving of attentions, approval and affections of those around him. That aside, I personally would never have any interest in his company outside of friendship.”

Loki’s lips parted, “I’ve dated Thors before, the last time ending with me pinned to a wall for refusing his advances.”

“I hope he is not breathing,” He growled out.

“He is not. And this in no way means that I would assume Thor would ever force himself on a woman,” Loki nodded again, “Just, learning from former mistakes. What I do know of Thor however does prove my point that between the pair of you,” your head shook and he looked you up and down inhaling deeply feeling his heart racing for what you were to say next, “You are nowhere near the lesser brother.”

Lifting your bottle again he wet his lips shifting awkwardly on his feet, “You do not know me, how can you be certain?”

Lowering your bottle before you took a sip you set it down saying, “Because you love him, clearly and ardently you put up with his narrow minded ways.”

His eyes narrowed again, “Narrow minded?” His pulse spiked again, though this time in defense of his brother only worsening at your hint of a smirk.

“My point exactly. You protect and defend him even when he doesn’t deserve it.” His lips parted and you cut him off, “If my twelve siblings were alive I would never let my reputation or embarrassment for their antics allow anyone of my inner circle to treat them how Thor allows the Avengers and SHIELD to treat you.” His lips closed and his eyes looked you over almost tearfully as he straightened up out of his defensive stance at the pain flickering in your eyes, “You are his brother, but the moment you do anything to make his friends give him a second glance,” you wiped your palms together shaking your head, “Brushing you right off, ‘Oh, he’s adopted’ just pushes you right away. Unmatched loyalty, until it effects how he is perceived. That is precisely why you are galaxies apart in my eyes, you love unflinchingly, that is pure, genuine, trust me, so hard to find in the vast corners of the world. I would never pick him, because if that is how he allows you, his baby brother to be treated, if we were together, how would he allow me to be treated? How much of myself would I be forced to pack away to cater to his ego?”

At the phone ringing against the wall you raised your bottle passing his side while saying, “Besides, blondes are overrated.” Steadily a smirk eased across his lips in his lifting the bottle to open it, turning to watch you stroll to the phone you tapped the button on the screen beside it showing the delivery truck parked outside. Lifting the receiver you said, “Thank you Bobby, let them up, they’ll be needing the lift.”

Hanging up the phone you turned around saying, “Your furniture is here.”

He nodded and watched you turn again tapping a few of the glowing buttons on the screen showing a group of hovering otter shaped AI’s flying to the back of the truck luring him closer to the screen, asking, “Are those otters?”

You nodded and flashed him a quick grin, “Yup. Unlike Stark my AI’s are adorable and helpful. Spend their free time heading out in fleets to scour the oceans for waste rather than teaming up with some cyber overlord to decimate the human race.”

Making him smirk again and take another sip of his drink he set down then follow you to his apartment door seeing the men in the truck watching the otters carrying furniture inside reading each item number to know where to place it exactly. A quick message to Thor later and he was right behind you saying, “Again, it seems as if Tony is no match for you, other than his workers losing their jobs, why allow him to remain atop his company?”

Smirking up at him you opened the door to his apartment seeing the large lift opening with a couch coming in first you parted allowing it through the doorway, “Because believe it or not he is quite intelligent, once aimed in the right direction he could be quite useful for humanity.”

“Not as useful as your company.”

Smirking at him you replied behind a table floating by, “My company very possibly won’t be here forever.”

Furrowing his brows he asked, “Oh? What makes you say that?”

Easing inside behind you he watched the otters cutting open the wrappings on each piece they swallowed whole and he got to your side noting they were lining the pieces up according to his designs. Peering up at him you said, “No telling what will happen.” Peering out the window you spotted Thor, Tony and Sam flying up with Peter landing beside them turning to peer into the open truck at the floating otters they followed up, taking the stairs to make their way up and into Loki’s open apartment. “Looks like Thor brought company.”

Loki looked to the door spotting Tony entering behind an armchair as Thor open mouthed strolled through the main floor asking, “This is all yours?”

Loki nodded, “Yes, three stories.” Making Thor turn to hurry upstairs while your attention turned to the teen wide eyed following after Bucky, who flew up on Vision’s back, now walking straight to your apartment. Ignoring the hushed arguments of the teen Bucky continued looking at each book making his way to your office only to pause seeing a familiar photo. Crossing the room he lifted the portrait from the wall he brought with him over to Loki’s apartment while Tony continued to stroll around inspecting things for himself.

Bucky came right up to your side making Loki’s brows furrow, holding the picture up for you to see he asked, “Where did you get this?”

Looking over the portrait of him and a group of soldiers playing poker you tapped one of the men in the photo, “My dad is the Captain.”

He looked at the picture then back to you and shook his head, “No, you can’t be old enough to be his child!”

You nodded taking the picture from his hand you passed to a leaving otter, “If you say so.”

Bucky pointed at the picture floating away Tony used his glasses to zoom in on and copy, “Captain Jack Harkin- that arrogant bastard!”

“Harkness. If you’re going to insult my father use the proper name or it’s just laziness.”

You strolled out of the way of a pair of otters bringing in a dresser they carried upstairs, Tony looked you over as his system continued searching for results of a facial scouring of history linked to the name.

Bucky, “He swindled me out of fifty bucks! And then when he said he would get me a bottle of whiskey to make up for it he skipped town! With my date!”

You nodded saying, “I’ll be sure to remind him about your whiskey.”

Sam, partially stunned asked, “He’s still alive?”

You nodded, “Off popping about ruining others days with his mischief.”

Tony moved closer to you saying, “My search isn’t ringing up any Jack Harkness, care to check the spelling on that?”

Smirking at him you replied, “I doubt you’ll find him his file’s been redacted.” Parting Sam’s lips understanding he must be of an elite division.

Tony’s eyes narrowed, “Why isn’t your name Harkness then?”

“Mum’s maiden name.”

Tony nodded then asked, “Her name?”

“Missy,” he nodded typing the name into his system with the control folding out over his palm as you strolled to the door, “But you won’t find her either.”

Making him huff and ask, “Why is that?!”

“Because she’s in prison for war crimes.”

Sam’s head cocked, “War crimes? Like the Nazis?”

You turned shaking your head, “No. Different war. Technicality really. Someone needed to take the blame.”

Tony, “Where is she serving time?”

“I am not authorized to say.”

His lips pursed in irritation and Sam asked, “Which war?”

“I am not authorized to say.”

The teen chuckled saying, “When did they find time to have you?”

You smirked at him, “My dad made time for his rendezvous.”

Thor trotting down the steps smirked saying, “Were you not already befriending my brother I might attempt to woo you myself for housing such as this.”

Smirking his way you replied, “Try as you might you would fail,” making his grin flinch, “You aren’t my type.”

Sam smirked saying, “Ooh, got it bad for the bad boys?”

Looking to Sam you replied, “No, I am however opposed to cowards,” dropping his jaw, “Who refuse to defend their family from those attempting to demean them.”

Thor shifted on his feet and looked to Loki, who merely looked at him in return waiting to hear what he would say. Bucky said, “That’s a bit harsh.”

“Really? Confirmed assassin, man who murdered Stark’s parents, how much is he paying you a month?”

Bucky shrugged, “Few grand, same as the rest of the crew.”

You nodded, “Wanna take a stab at how much Loki got? Along with his short leash and demanded appearances to play ‘Bad Boy’ for the new superhero team?”

Peter chuckled awkwardly rubbing his neck, “Well it can’t be less than me. I get $850 to help with rent after my scholarships.”

“You would be wrong.”

Thor moved closer to you, “Who are you to call me a coward?!”

Without moving your head tilted back in his sparking rage stomp your way, “Someone who’s lost twelve siblings to war and would never write them off as adopted so my buddies don’t think less of me and stop wanting to be my friends.” Instantly his sparks dwindled in your step closer, “Spark up all you like, slam me against the wall, you won’t change my mind until I see a change in how you show the love you bury for your brother so they can feed your addiction to adoration.”

Strolling around him Tony said, “So, this is how you are helping Loki change his ways? Hmm? Insulting his brother, leading us around trying to find out who you are?”

Locking your eyes on Stark he swallowed dryly and his eyelids almost flinched shut at the fierce gaze hitting him, “I have no intention on changing Loki, merely his environment. After all, a little human decency instead of tethers and belittling a man who could summon armies of aliens to this planet seems the better plan for earth’s safety. Hmm?”

Vision, “Loki is not human.”

You looked at him, “No less deserving of respect. He is a Prince, whether this is his planet or not should not matter.” You looked to Stark again, “Search away all you like, but you won’t find me or my family and you’ll just have to deal with that fact,” narrowing his gaze at you, “Or the consequences of trying my patience.”

Stark, “Is that a threat?!”

Smirking at him you replied, “Oh Sugar, that’s a promise.” A buzz from your pocket had you drawing out your phone sounding with an alarm you stepped aside to look at seeing warning alerts that Stark had left bugging devices inside the apartment.

Silencing the alarm Bucky strode closer to you with narrowed gaze saying, “Pretty confident talk for a civilian.”

Peering at him over your shoulder Sam said, “Definitely not a civilian.”

Bucky looked you over saying, “You served?”

“Yup joined at 17.”

Tony, “Your rank?”

“Colonel.”

Bucky, “There were no medals or patches displayed in your apartment.”

Your eyes locked with his, “I don’t display them.”

Thor, “Why not? Serving your lands is deserving of boasting for your valor. Display them proudly.”

Sam looked you over, “Let me guess, you are not at liberty to discuss how you earned those patches or how you reached your discharged rank?”

“I cannot even divulge which branch I served in or where. My family has its reputation and aided my being trusted to achieve my status.”

Tony, “Can you at least say where you were born?”

“You probably wouldn’t know it, it’s tiny, though larger once inside the borders, Tardis.”

Loki wet his lips asking you, “Are you hungry?”

You nodded, “I’ll get the menus for you to choose from.” Leaving the apartment to head into yours you sighed hearing hushed whispered arguments in your fetching the menus. Drawing your pen you switched a tiny lever sending out sonic pulses causing the internal workings of the bugs to short circuit and die.

Tony, “Just come back Loki! This is stupid! You don’t have to whore yourself out to her for more money!”

Loki scoffed back at him, “You get no say in my choices.”

Peter mumbled to himself, “But she’s so attractive, she doesn’t need a prostitute.” His brows popped up as Loki glanced at him, “I know, you’re more of an escort! Just company, no sex!”

Vision mumbled, “Escort? What does it mean?” He asked Sam.

Sam glanced up at him answering, “You’re not ready to know what it means.”

Vision mumbled to himself, “I will ask Wanda then.”

Loki, “The details are not important for you to know.”

Drawing closer Peter patted Loki’s shoulder, “Well, I say good job. She seems to like you a good deal.”

To which Tony scoffed making Thor state, “No, the boy has a point-,”

Peter, “I’m not-,”

Thor, “She has defended him soundly. Shown very admirable rank in defense of her home.”

Tony, “Rank we cannot confirm! Have you forgotten why we came here?!”

Thor, “I came to ensure my brother is well cared for.”

Loki, “I am not a pet.”

Bucky chuckled, “You are if she’s paying you so well. You are what she says you are.”

Loki, “Miss Pear treats me to my birth rank of Prince. Never less than that.”

Tony, “So what other uses does she have for you? Since she is paying so much for your company?” His eyes wandering to the otters nudging him aside so they can set up another table they ate the wrap to and righted.

Peter stood grinning widely at the cute three foot otters adjusting the furniture before floating off again to fetch another piece, “These are so adorable! Where did she get them?”

Entering the apartment you said, “I made them.” Making him turn to grin at you as you approached Loki handing him the menus while Tony eyed the pen you eased back into its holster in your pocket. “When they aren’t here they’re cleaning oceans of waste.” Making Peter gasp in awe, “Figure if I’m not using their aid all the time they might as well have a useful task to help people without drawing too much attention.”

Peter, “What about oil spills? Can they clean those too?”

“I have a set of orcas that handle those, it takes a different absorbing system with tiny jellyfish that help to stem off the source of the leak in a protective shield.”

Sam looked to Loki with a smirk, “You ok with being bound to the savior of the oceans? Might rub off on that reputation of yours.”

Rolling your eyes you said, “I am not boasting about that.”

Bucky, “Why not?”

“Because I’m just not. I don’t need the publicity.”

Tony, “Or don’t want anyone to know you’re dropping AI’s into the oceans.”

“You caught me,” you said with a smirk, “I’m building my own island with kryptonite and poisoning the whales and sharks against humans. Soon my blubbery minions shall overtake the world. Mwa-haha!”

Peter chortled along with Sam and Bucky as Thor helped to decide the meal you ordered and shared with the men until they got called back by Pepper leaving you and Loki alone.

Lowly he said helping you clean up, “I apologize for my brother threatening you.”

Smirking at him you said, “I’ve faced bigger and badder puppies than him.”

“No doubt,” he asked looking you over, “I noticed your listed events had a black tie dinner on Friday, would you be requiring an escort?”

“If you like. I have an appointment with a suit maker day after tomorrow. In the morning we can make a stop at the market to fill your pantry.”

He wet his lips then looked you over asking, “Does that mean I can join you for breakfast again?”

“I’ll make waffles. If you need anything let me know. I’ll let you explore and settle it all to your tastes. Goodnight Prince Loki.”

Nodding to you he watched as you turned for the door, “Goodnight,” when the door shut between you he continued to stare at the door as he whispered, “Jaqi.” Anxiously he wet his lips and turned to look around nipping at his lip in his first step to inspect the rooms he had furnished.

Up to his room he went seeing a fresh supply of toiletries in his bathroom and his bag the otters had brought to set on the bed they had made for him. Looking to the closet he lifted his bag and carried it into his closet where he began to put away his clothes smirking at all you had gifted him filling a small portion of the vast space. The last item in his bag being his painting he smirked carrying back down to the first floor to prop up on his mantel until he could get a proper hook for it. It was a small step and he still had so much to fill this place with, but it was a step he was taking with you, and for the first time on this planet he felt something close to having a home of his own.

All through the apartment your scent had wafted and a wave of calm washed over him in knowing that even with walls between you he truly wasn’t that far away. So up to bed he went, as he had the past few days, struggling against his daydreams of you stretched out beside him sleeping soundly and the sunrise after washing over you both in confirmation that you had not left.

Slowly he drifted off into dreams of what could be while halfway across town Stark Tower filled with curses as Tony glared at his monitors all reading that the bugs he’d left were destroyed.

Bruce’s pursed lips parted for him to say, “Maybe you picked a bad batch.”

Tony glared at him, “I made those especially for this!”

Dr Strange strolled in sipping on his ‘World’s Best Doctor’ mug he lowered to say, “I believe you might have underestimated Miss Pear. She fortifies homes for a living. You sure she doesn’t have tech that fried the bugs when you set them?”

Tony, “They were fine when I set them! Recorded for a full four minutes, until-,” His eyes narrowed and he growled out, “That pen! She didn’t even use it!”

Bruce glanced at Dr Strange then back to Tony as he rewound the footage pointing at your returning through the doorway before the footage cut off, “See!”

They shook their heads and Bruce said, “Great Wall take out menu?”

Tony zoomed in on the video showing a quick glint of gold from your palm, “See it!”

Dr Strange, “So she has a gold pen? What does it matter?”

Tony, “It wouldn’t if it was a pen, but it’s not!”

Bruce, “Ya lost me.”

Dr Strange, “But you said it was a pen.”

Tony, “It only looks like a pen!”

Bruce, “I think you’re just reading too much into this.”

Tony huffed leaving the room, “I got to find out how to get it from her.” A smirk eased across his lips and he drew out his phone and he said, “Jarvis. Call Scott Lang.”

Jarvis’ voice replied, “Dialing now…”

Bruce and Dr Strange glanced at one another and the latter said, “This can only go well.”

Bruce smirked saying, “Not at all, but it will be amusing as hell to watch.”


	5. Chapter 5

Through the line giggles filled the room Scott and his little girl were playing and joking around for a few moments before the father answered, “Scott here.”

Tony smirked answering, “Scott, Tony Stark here, got a job for you and that suit of yours.”

“Um,” he said glancing at his girl moving onto putting together some snacks, “Tony, I don’t know about that, last time in Germany-,”

“This is not about that, trust me, this will not have any federal repercussions. It is entirely domestic, child play really for a pro like you.”

Scott’s brows furrowed and he leaned against the doorframe asking, “If it is so simple then why me?”

“Because the target hates me and I need an alibi.”

His lips pursed for a moment then he asked, “This is not an approval, but, what am I supposed to be after?”

Tony, “I need you to break in and take this pen,”

Scott laughed out loud, “A pen?!”

Tony, “It looks like a pen, but it isn’t, and I need you to get it so I can test it and find out what it is exactly.”

With a tilt of his head Scott’s lip curled for a moment and he turned to grin and wave at his daughter and said, “Send me the details, I’ll scope it out.”

“Good, fifteen grand in it for you when you deliver the pen.” Scott had to hold back his giddy laugh and sharing of the deal until the following morning when he went in to work in handing off his little girl for the weekend trip to an amusement park out in Florida.

.

Off to his job he raced and through the door he stepped with arms out saying, “None of you are going to guess who just hired me for a job today.”

Kurt, “Bruce Springsteen.”

Dave turned to look at him with a momentarily scrunched face, “Man, no way is Bruce Springsteen even on our radar.” Looking to Scott he said, “Ugh,” he said snapping his fingers, “What is that guys name?” Again he snapped then pointed at Scott, “Guy Fierri!”

Kurt, “Who is Guy Fierri?”

Dave, “He’s that tv chef with blonde spiked hair and that dark goatee. My lady’s got me hooked on these cooking shows, and-,”

Kurt, “Oh, yes I saw that Kitchen Rescue show. Cannot get enough.”

Luis turned in his chair after having untangled his chair from the phone and internet cable looking over the trio as Scot waved his hands, “Guys! No!”

Dave sighed leaning back in his chair faking interest in the change of subject, “Fine Scott, who did hire you?”

“Tony Stark!” He replied quickly receiving a room full of blinks. “Guys, ok, I know what you’re thinking, after the Germany thing, though this time, this time entirely domestic and so simple!”

Kurt, “What, he wants to have us install security system in one of his offices?”

Dave, “Nah man, he’s got his own grid, why would he go about hiring us?”

Scott bounced on his feet in a momentary crouch, “He wants me to steal a pen!” Brows rose and he added, “For fifteen grand! Though it’s not really a pen he thinks it just looks like a pen and he wants me to get it so he can check it out.”

Kurt’s eyes narrowed, “Is it pen gun?”

Scott’s eyes turned to Dave as he said, “Ooh, one of those poison dart pens? Saw one of those in a spy film once.”

Kurt, “Can’t be a grapple hook pen, completely illogical.”

Dave, “From that Johnny English film, yes!” turning to Scott he asked, “Why you?”

Scott looked between them then said, “Apparently he’s hated by the person with the pen and needs an alibi.”

Luis climbed out of his chair to join the others as Kurt asked, “Who’s the target? Some mastermind villain?”

Scott glanced at his phone rereading the message with all the info in it, “Some lady named Jaqi Pear.”

Luis, “Woah, woah, woah! Back that bus up you are not telling me that you accepted a job to rob one of the sweetest ladies on this planet, not counting my Grandma and your little girl. Cuz man, if you did I gotta judge our friendship a bit closer for your motives on that spectrum siding with Stark against the sweetest lady on the planet!”

The whole speech fired out rapidly and nearly had Scott reeling before he replied, “How do you know her? I’ve never heard of her.”

Kurt, “Pear? Like the fruit Pear?”

Scott nodded and Dave waved his hand and clicked his tongue, “Man, you mean you accepted a job from the woman who backed our company loan?!”

Scott, “Wait, what?! No, I though Master Industries backed us.”

Kurt, “Master, founded by a Miss Pear, the leading security and technology company in this country with resources even Stark cannot touch.”

Scott haltingly replied, “I, did, not, know that…”

Luis crossed his arms, “So, what does this Stark assume the sweetest lady on the planet ever could possibly be up to with this pen?”

Scott shrugged, “I don’t know man, he just said he wanted the pen.” Looking his friend over he asked, “Wait, how does one of the biggest tech and security companies take the time and money to invest in our band of misfits?”

Luis clicked his tongue, “Man, that goes way back to my Mom, when she was fresh out of high school,” with a grin he pointed at himself, “She just had me, and she needed place to get a job, and she heard from these guys on the street corner while waiting for the bus that this ‘dragon lady’ had spent half an hour railing them on their credentials and kicked them to the curb. Well, moms was straight up impressed, cuz these guys were in like top of the line suits with those really shiney shoes, one of ‘em wearing their Harvard pin on their tie. So she goes, ‘Hey, any chicka crazy enough to send these money bags off to the curb has got my interest.’ So she goes three blocks over skipping an interview for a maids job over to this just glass wrapped building thinking ‘Worst comes to worst I can shine the hell out of these windows and floors have this chicka working in a bomb office!’”

The guys nodded and Luis wet his lips saying, “So she goes right past the doorman, who for his nice suit didn’t say a thing bout her bringing me with her, and she strolled right up to the desk saying, ‘I came to see Miss Pear.’ Again no comment form the man behind the counter, kind of shifty in her mind at first, cuz they should have said something cuz she wasn’t really at the top of her game that day, her curling iron died and had to head out in last night’s makeup after a colicky night with me. But she gets told ‘go to the elevator’ so she does and up we go. Right in the line of suit clad guys Mom just sat her self down and waited for the line to go through, each time seeing a guy, who’s like a twin to the guy downstairs, only he’s got a red shirt on, who looked like the guy at the door, so she’s figuring maybe they’re all related somehow?”

Scott nodded, “Makes sense.”

Luis nodded and continued, “Right so surprisingly half an hour later the guy comes out again after the last guy looks at the list and turns around saying, ‘We have an unnamed applicant.’ And my Moms hears this honey dipped angelic voice say, ‘Show them in.’ She gets up, little bit wobbly, cuz, again, not top of her game, but she draws it in and struts right in, just working the confidence and sits right down across from this just top notch woman. Sleek green dress leaned back in her leather chair just working her figure, with long curled ponytail laying over her chest and just this stunning smile though it wasn’t till she leaned forward and that’s when she saw it.”

Dave, “The pen?”

Luis, “What? No! Her eyes! Bright purple! Shook my Moms hand and asked her her name and how do you do’s and all that then she got to the big question, ‘What brings you in today?’ and Moms just busted out with her hearing about those guys and her just knowing that this would be the right place for her and said that she’d be grateful for even a cleaning job.”

Kurt, “So she got the job?”

Luis smiled wider, “Miss Pear gave her an assistant job,” parting their lips, “I know right! Ya, took a chance on my Moms, and she just nailed it right out of the park. Sure she’s a bit,” his teeth flashed in a tilt of his raised hands, “Low key immortal but all around-,”

Scott, “Wait, what?”

Dave, “Did you say immortal?”

Luis, “See, she’s older than I am, cuz clearly I was a baby at the interview, but Mom said it wasn’t that big of a deal cuz Gran met her once and said there was nothing shady there, ‘sometimes there’s just those that are sent down to bless’ and that’s what she did. Cuz for 25 years she employed my Moms and even helped to get me a better lawyer to take up my appeal case pro bono and then after I got out insisted she take time off and see a specialist for that lump she had on her neck. Turned out it was cancer, and even when the company insurance refused to pay Miss Pear paid for everything, even the driver service to get her to each appointment and when my Moms passed she got top of the line everything down the line.

And of course I felt a bit bad you know, my growing up in the office and then taking that wrong legal turn that maybe I shouldn’t go there, but we had such a great idea and I knew that she would understand my idea and that if there was a problem with the pitch she would help me fix it, so I called the number and she says just drop by. Right in my Moms old chair is my second cousin in law Trish, who just sent me right in saying she cleared her morning for me. We caught all up and she wanted to hear all about how I’ve been doing and cleaning up after getting out and then I showed her the plans and how the banks refused the loan applications and asked how I could fluff it up for the business world.

All she does is do what she always did to seal the deal, lean her way back in that chair, still one bomb chicka after all these years and she dials the phone and makes a call, says ‘Charles, I’m sending someone over, give it to him.’ Then looks over to me when she hangs up ‘Just head over to Brumson Bank head straight up to Charles’ desk and tell him I sent you.’ And,” Excitedly he mimed a bomb exploding, “Boom! We got our loan!” his grin dropped and he said to Scott, “Now tell me you didn’t take a job to rob the sweetest lady on the planet?”

Scott felt his stomach drop a foot lower in hearing how this woman had changed his best friend’s life and his own by backing their company and he rubbed the back of his neck, “Um, I mean, it’s just a pen.”

Dave pursed his lips for a moment then asked, “Maybe, you could just talk to her? Maybe explain the situation, she might let you take a picture of the pen or something.”

Kurt nodded, “Yes, any woman that kind may be understanding.”

Luis pulled out his phone saying, “I’m gonna give you her address and send her a message you’re dropping by her office, and you better clear this up!” Luis typed on his screen and then said, “She’s shopping right now but she’ll be in her office in an hour. She will see you then.”

Scott nodded and said, “Cool, cool…” his lips pursed a moment and he said, “Wonder why Stark said she hates him.”

*

Waffles filled the air of your apartment that Loki let himself into after an otter opened the door for him and closed it behind him. The usually alluring scent you gave off was nearly doubled making his fingers clench around the sleeves of his sweater as his slippers tapped silently across the carpet in your warm living room making his flannel pants seeming all the more cozy nearly driving him to curl up on one of your couches for some more sleep. A striking glimpse of you however halted him in his tracks, fully done up and dressed to the nines, but groggily pacing in a stunning aura of something he could only explain as ‘snuggle up with me’ you finished setting out the various clearly freshly made fruit jams and spreads for the waffles, cinnamon raisin bread and muffins you had made.

A brush of your curled bangs that fell into your face from behind your ear clearly from the mess of curls pulled up into a messy bun on top of your head. In passing the island to fetch the juice for you, and milk for the tea brewing he caught sight of the short shorts in yellow under your grey baggy t shirt, tall socks pulled up to your knee in moose slippers had him wetting his lips and moving closer. Turning your head you spotted him and even in your clearly drowsy expression he forced a grin onto his face reminding himself to breathe. You were stunning with makeup and now he had seen you untouched, sleep wrinkles and indents from pillows still pressed into your cheek. Though the thing overpowering him was the scent wafting off you.

“Morning.” He forced out and you grinned back turning to fetch the whistling kettle.

“I have tea, and so many things.” You said turning granting him a change to exhale and let his hand rest on the counter blinking through the surge of hormones racing through his body before burying that behind another grin. “Um, it’s all on the table, help yourself, be right there.”

He nodded and turned trying not to shake from the powerful waves crashing through his body urging him to close the distance between you. Into his seat he lowered and filled his plate with his eyes drifting back up to you, he was never one to be lost to the throws of lust and very rarely found himself even pretending he was sexually attracted to anyone. Yet his eyes locked on you and wouldn’t leave the longer he stared at you sending his blood pumping causing his left arm to drop to his waist to manage the visual issues of this sudden pull to you. Managing a cool tone he asked, “Did you sleep well?”

In a half turn holding the kettle your hand was raised smoothing around the back of your earring untangling a strand of hair from it as you answered, “Sort of, got woken up by this call-.” In a sudden lift of your gaze your fingers stroked along the skin under your ear not feeling the strip of pheromone blocker you normally added when you had company. The absence of which fully explaining the bright red eyes of Loki locked on you, the enhanced pheromones you inherited from your father mingled with your Time Lord genes only worsening your attraction abilities on others and even more so when you were ovulating, shaking your head you carried the kettle over and poured out into your mugs set out. His chest rising in his deep inhale as you drew closer to his side, “Just some work thing.” You set the kettle down on the cooling mat on the table and said, “I forgot something, …I left it in my room…right back,”

Turning to cross the floor to your stairs you felt his gaze following you as you mentally berated yourself. Blinking his eyes Loki felt the wave drop all at once in him after you crossed the first rug and the scents of the meal you had made leaving him absolutely puzzled for what had just happened. True he knew the most of Frost Giants and their home but nothing of their physical, or chemical makeup through their lives. They had no study on it. True his mother had done what she could to learn enough to help him through what he had assumed to be his only flash of puberty when he was younger, but this had never happened to him before.

Thor sure enough like other Asgardian males had gone through a flash of heat where he had to be managed to keep from populating a kingdom of his own like other males sent off to traditional secondary planets far from any females in their own wave of hormone fueled misery instantly evening out when separated from the other gender. Loki saw this, from a bystander’s view, feeling none of the agitation or rage at not being able to breed to their fullest potential, his came three years later and lasted twice as long spurring on a special job from his mother to hide this from others. But even that was nothing like this, instant on and off again instantly making him hope that this was not true and he would not be putting you in any danger by being around you through this. He would never hurt you or force you in any way but with your size difference and his clear silver tongue mastery of persuasion no doubt it could be left to you having no choice in the matter of sleeping with him surely ruining things if he could not control this.

Down again you came and thankfully his below the waist situation had calmed enough he could sit up straight and flash you a grin slightly uncertain of the much more diluted excitement in seeing you again somehow troubling him more than the initial surge of attraction. As if now he ached in missing the unhelped attraction he could not dream of fighting, though he could never dream of wishing to have that for anyone but you for an even more puzzling truth settling in his mind worrying him as to why. Flashing a grin of your own you felt the circular patch fading into your skin beneath your ear radiating your pheromones into an aura of green apples around you, a simple solution to a problem your parents had showed you how to make on your own when you were younger for this very reason.

Into your seat you lowered and Loki looked you over with eyes narrowing for a moment at the scent of apples washing over him in your tending to your morning tea you raised for a sip to test how much honey to add to it. “Forgive me, but, did you put on perfume?”

Lowering your mug you wet your lips, watching his eyes trailing after your tongue, actions like that only worsening your pheromone problem as your attraction to the one affected by it only made your body give off more pheromones to drown the poor creature in them. He was clearly still feeling some effects of that initial hormonal draw to you, “No, it um,” your brows furrowed and you decided to tell a tiny white lie. “I’ve been working on my power cells lately, a new mechanism for it exactly, and recently I’ve noticed my pheromones just bursting out. I made some patches for it to block that, I forgot to put it on. Sorry about that, didn’t mean to make you feel uncomfortable.”

Exhaling sharply he couldn’t lie and say he wasn’t relieved in your explanation, yet meanwhile disappointed it wasn’t something genuine for and from you sank in and he had to force his grin to remain in place until his mind flashed back to your flinching from staring at him in changing his shirt followed clearly by your stating that you did find him attractive. Bite by bite he felt his reminders that this was merely financial slipping away, with his hormones and attachment building in his urge to people please this was a losing battle he would hold no regrets over losing.

He had sworn to himself not to lose control and get attached but that damn calming innocence you exuded just lulled him right into the trap and that wave of hormones had him trying to steal glances to find that patch you had mentioned to see how simple it might be to brush against you and remove it to see what would happen. Before he knew it the meal was through and he was back in his closet staring at his clothes trying to choose which clothes to wear simple enough for your trip to the market for his pantry and basic supplies. Keeping it simple he chose a pale orange shirt he tucked into his black pants he pulled on with his boots tied on after. At his mirror he inhaled fixing his sleeves looking himself over only to shake his head at the thought on what to do to make you more attracted to him. Or rather which features you were attracted to helping you to choose him over someone like Thor.

Turning away he wet his lips heading back to the stairs to meet you in the hall, down he trotted hurrying to meet you hoping he hadn’t taken too long. With the door between you he paused smoothing his hand over his chest ensuring his shirt was smooth over his chest and stomach before opening the door to find the hall empty. Lowly he mumbled, “I cannot have taken too long..”

Your doorknob turned however and he stepped out using his key on the ring he had been palming to lock the door behind him then turned to grin at you looking over the jeans and blouse you were wearing with a flash of mint green from your heeled boots helping to get you to his shoulder. A click behind you and a grin eased across your pink painted lips. Back to your dolled up appearance his chest ached, already missing the intimacy of seeing the face and curls you kept to yourself. True makeup made little change as you used little of it to accent your eyes and lips but still nothing could touch the stunning shift of you in your most comfortable setting calling to his own urge to remain lounging in a book filled nook all day. That was his new daydream, hiding the day away with you reading or being read to as one of you lounged against the other, a perfect day filled with cuddling and stolen naps between sharing words of wonder and longing.

A compliment was given and sheepish chuckles were traded in the turn for the stairs down to the waiting car, it was a short drive but still you needed the trunk to transfer everything inside. Four steps in a stretch of his index finger looped around your pinky finger and the connection held for the trot down to the first floor. It seemed so simple, just a finger hold but a welcome invitation for a hand to hold was too much to pass up on. Another part of his dissolving line between the fantasy of this all and whatever it truly was. Settling into the car however the hold broke only to have his hand mold around the top of yours when it rested between your thighs, his thumb tenderly tracing pathways across the backs of your knuckles.

Turning his head he asked, “How long do we have?”

With a smirk you replied easing out his grin, “As long as you like, whole day’s clear.”

Locked in place his hand remained on yours even in the slide out of the car, which he used to help steady you to your feet and shifted to retain in the stroll to the front entrance. His spare hand used to guide the cart he tugged free from the corral and even a his eyes scanned the store he asked, “Where should we start?”

“Um, we could start with soaps and such if you like? Usually I leave frozen and refrigerated items to last.”

“Good plan, soaps and such it is.”

Each and every aisle he went down collecting a supply of possible necessities keeping up the conversation you had started and always claimed your hand again after each step away to inspect or fetch something new. The food half was next and from basics to comfort food and snacks came next, though lost between two chip flavors his head turned slightly seeing you draw your phone out of your purse after it’s buzz and chime. In a full glance your way as you read the message he asked, “Work calling?”

** _‘Miss Pear, I was wondering if you might be able to meet up with my best friend sometime. Seems he’s got himself in a bit of a jam and needs someone to talk to.’_ **

To yourself you let out a hmm in confusion and raised your gaze to Loki, “Friend of a former assistant of mine wants to talk to me about something.”

Hastily you typed back, **_‘Tell them we can meet in an hour at my office.’_**

“You need to go now?”

Shaking your head you replied with a grin, “No, said I’d meet them in an hour.” His lips parted then closed and he nodded making you move closer and loop your arm in his making him grin, “Don’t look like that I’m not abandoning you. Plenty of time for you to pick a bag of crisps and finish the aisles. The otters will make easy work of the bags.” Looking at the bags he was stuck between you asked, “Ridges or barbecue?”

“I know I would care for one in one occasion but the other in different occasions.” Turning his head his gaze lowered to yours at the resting of your cheek against his arm while the thumb on your free hand traced a muscle in his bicep, “I suppose I could choose both, however the question is how long the bags would last.”

“If you mean freshness usually they last a few days before growing stale, though usually they are a bit addictive, even I can get through a majority of a bag before I’ve realized it.”

Loki nodded, “I shall pick both then, I rarely have gotten to try them, the team usually rushed in snatching them away.” He said claiming two flavors he added to the cart before eyeing the other flavors, “I suppose I could try a new pair a week. There are so many to choose from.”

“Sounds like a plan.” You said as he guided you along hoping you would stay draped against and around his arm for as long as possible. Through the line you did up to the car where you helped him fill the trunk and grinned to yourself when his hand melted around yours again. Inside the car again he looked to you in a subtle scoot closer to you and wet his lips before asking, “Any plans after your meeting?”

Turning your head you caught a flinch of his eyes over your face as you drew in a breath to keep your pulse slow noticing he’d moved closer again making your eyes flinch to his lips for a moment, “Just heading back. I doubt it would take long,”

Taking the words out of your mouth he asked, “Up for a film after?”

“Sure, give you a chance to break into those chips of yours.” Back home again into the garage you went and in a sea of floating otters with their arms full of bags you rode the lift up to his apartment he unlocked and chuckled in following the adorable floating otters to his kitchen to put everything away. Stealing a glance at you he flashed you a grin as you said, “I should pop off. I will see you after, and be careful they tend to alphabetize everything, while the one with spots tends to sort things by color.”

Loki couldn’t help but chuckle, “I will monitor the situation, thank you.” His eyes followed you in your path out of the apartment down to your car again.

Down the steps you trotted asking, “What could this possibly be?”


	6. Chapter 6

Past the doorman Scott paused in noticing the man behind the desk and smirked in turning around realizing that just like in Luis’ story they were identical, hurrying to the desk he asked, “Miss Pear is expecting me, which-?”

“Take the elevator, top floor, I’ll buzz you in.”

Scott nodded then asked with a grin, “So how’d you get the desk job over your brother out there?”

Flatly the man answered, “I do not have a brother.”

Scott pointed at the door saying, “The doorman. You’re, twins, right?”

The man behind the counter looked to the doorman then back to Scott and let out a laugh making Scott laugh awkwardly, “I have heard of this, you are pulling my leg. Humor is lost to me. Top floor, I will buzz you in.”

Scott nodded then turned to head to the elevator mumbling to himself mentally, “Crazy…” Inside he let out a breath and said, “Ok, I can do this. Just go in, and explain the whole thing.”

At the next to top floor the elevator paused and his eyes flinched to the floor screen at a buzz that went off signaling his admittance to the top floor after the camera above the screen captured a photograph of the room. Another stop later and the doors opened revealing the impressive top floor lit by the walls of windows partially coated by shutters rolled down between the panes of glass in some spots and up fully in others to light the floor and cast shade where needed. Passing another identical man Scott flashed him a grin he quickly returned even wider before he turned his head seeing who must be Trish, Luis’ second cousin in law in her own office off to the side in various items in bright orange to her taste with brightly colored flowers and glass vases with colored marbles contrasting the warmer shades in the rest of the floor.

Grinning in her pop up the petite woman wiggled her pencil skirt down to her knees again and on her platform stilettos trotted her way into the hall with a widening grin in a flick of her braided ponytail over her back to extend her claw nail ended fingers in a far from surprising shade of orange for a handshake he accepted. “Mr Lang, Luis has told me all about you. Honestly I think it is just incredible what you can do and we all were just thrilled to hear you finally got off your probation.”

With a nod Scott glanced back to the man behind the desk who answered a call from the front desk clarifying he had made it up the elevator, “Ya,” looking at her again he raised his hand and she shook her head.

“You get used to them. Cute as ever, but a little heavy up top if ya know what I mean.” Her head nodded to the side with a widening grin, “Miss Pear’s in there, just go right in.”

Scott, “You don’t need to-?”

Trish shook her head, “Nope, the lift sends a picture to her office and I am late for my lunch. She prides herself in our care.”

“Ya, Luis mentioned that. Sweetest woman on the planet.”

Making her let out a squeaking giggle and turn to head to the elevator while he turned to the double mahogany doors, a timid press on one of the bar handle he lowered it opened revealing a look into a Sherlock Holmes styled study if he ever saw one complete with fireplace, not lit today but clearly of frequent use. Behind the desk was the wingback chair and right in it sat the stunning purple eyed woman with a curious grin flashing up at him as she hummed out, “Scott Lang, if I am not mistaken.”

Weakly he chuckled and said, “Yes,” moving for the chair you motioned your hand to for him to sit in.

“Long time since I’ve seen your face on my sensors, not since Stark hired you to take some of my diagrams for my older designs, he make use of them?”

On the edge of blushing as his body warmed up Scott sat down with an awkward grin on his face and he cleared his throat answering, “I, um, I don’t know. Actually.” After a moment he added, “I wouldn’t have taken the job, had I known how well Luis knew you.”

Shaking your head you grinned again making his brow twitch up and down again in wonder at how you could be old enough to have employed his fully grown friend’s mother in her youth. “Not a problem, I doubt any but the Princes could have helped him through them. No matter, what sort of jam have you found yourself in?”

Scott inched forward in his seat, “You see,” digging his phone out of his pocket he found the picture, “Stark called me, and hired me again,”

“Ooh, can’t wait to hear why.” You giggled out making his eyes flinch up to you again.

Passing you the phone he said, “He wants this pen,” you glanced from the image to him again with a smirk, “And he wants me to take it from you and give it to him.”

“Ah,” a giggle escaped you making his lips part as your legs crossed and your curved fingers smoothed under your chin in a quick swipe, “I imagine he must want my pen very badly then, how much did he offer you?”

“15 grand.” Again you giggled smiling brightly at him in doing so and he stammered out as your fingers locked on your lap in the lowering of your arms, “But of course then Luis told me about your place in his life and how you helped us start out our company and I can just turn him down.”

Shaking your head his brow inched up again, “No, why do that? No, if Stark wants my pen, then by all means,” you giggled again, “You should steal it.”

“I, I don’t follow…”

“Tomorrow I have an appointment at a suit shop at ten in the morning. I imagine I will be there for a few hours at least, by all means, sneak in and steal my pen.”

“You’re serious?”

His tone dropped and you nodded, “I’ll have my pen in my bag and, just, carry it away to Mr Stark for his own personal delight.”

Looking you over he asked, “So, you would just, leave it lying around?”

“Yup.”

“Why?”

You giggled again, “To hear Stark’s screams from his tower when he finds out it’s just a pen my godfather designed for me.”

Scott couldn’t help but smirk and inch more to the edge of his seat, “Why, I mean, what’s going on there? What’s Stark got against you?”

“Apparently SHIELD imagined me to be dangerous and Stark has taken it upon himself to solve the riddle of my life.”

“That’s it?”

“That’s it. I seem to be quite interesting a mystery at the moment. But as always he will reach a dead end in my monotony and lose interest like all the others who have tried the same.” Leaning forward on your chair his eyes turned to the pen you brought out of the sheath in your purse at your side to write on the pad of paper left on your desk.

“Wow, quite a pen.”

You smirked replying, “My godfather spent a great deal of time designing it.” You said writing out the address to the shop you tore free and passed to him. “Here’s the address, I look forward to being mugged.”

Accepting the sheet he smirked and stood up as you did pocketing the note and joining you to the door that opened at the work of the man from the desk making Scott look from him to you in your quick grin at him he gave back in your passing by he continued in a glance at Scott. Back at your side in waiting for the elevator you hit the button to Scott glanced between you and the man again taking his seat at the desk in your entering the now open elevator. Turned around and leaning against the rail on the wall you held your bag against your legs in front of you then caught Scott’s eye in his glance down at you when the doors closed, “I have to ask, what’s with the guys? They’re a bit-,”

Your head tilted for a moment in another giggle and you said, “You’ve met Vision?”

He nodded, “Stark’s red flying buddy?”

You nodded, “Yes, well, he was sent out a few weeks back, tried to scan my servers, tripped my alarms, though didn’t get anything but the security botched the personality vortex in their switch box. Nearly got the new dials completed to repair them. Couple days yet.”

His brows shot up, “They’re robots? Can they fly?”

“Well I wouldn’t ask them to without the new dials, but after they can.”

“Is that why you and Stark are at odds? You’re marketing robots?”

“I don’t sell robots, but I do intend to protect my office and those that work here. Trish included. Besides, It is much easier with their help, don’t get much traffic either way to leave someone bored out of their mind.”

“True, you often leave early?” He asked in your leaving the elevator.

“No, just my day off.”

“Oh, I’m-,”

You shook your head, “Don’t you worry about that. It was a pleasure to finally meet you, and I look forward to tomorrow. Happy planning.” You said as you exited the front door heading for your waiting car where Scott smirked seeing your driver identical to the other workers you had created.

“Enjoy your shopping.” He called out awkwardly gaining a wave and giggle from you in your climb into the car that closed and took off back to your home.

*

Adorable, helpful and yet slightly pushy when it comes to organizing. The floating Otters had been quite tricky to sate in terms of proving that they had done a satisfactory job before they floated off freeing the confused Prince to turn to his pantry to reorganize things to how he wanted them. He only had a short amount of time, in his own mind, he hoped you would return early that was the plan at your saying it was a friend of a former employee. It couldn’t be more than a matter of a referral or money meaning you would try to hurry out of it, clearly you had spent more than enough on him and wouldn’t be looking for another to be spending your cash on no matter how kind a person you were.

Again his chest puffed up in readying the snacks and film he had chosen in his living room, a full check of his media system was done and now he just had to wait letting his mind wander as to what creature could be wasting your free day you could have been spending with him. Shoes were cast aside and lounged on his favorite armchair after changing to flannels and a sweater again he stared up at the ceiling tossing the remote for his stereo up over his head and catching it trying to pass the time.

*

Giggling to yourself you eyed the pen in your palm wondering which of the copies you would take for Stark to find, you had so many decoys. Ones that screamed, set off smoke alarms and triggered power outages, some with projectors or even those that copied your writing to upload on a computer later. Yet a smirk eased across your lips as you chose a completely different pen altogether.

Out of the car you climbed sheathing your real pen and made your way inside. From the door you turned for the door behind the counter the man there opened for you and nodded in return to your thanks and closed the door behind you. The hall there allowing you on to the larger lift waiting there. When it opened you entered and turned to the control panel you pushed the lobby button you pushed the right side of holding it down as it scanned your finger before sinking in to twist around to stick out halfway for you to twist downwards starting the trip down to the hidden bomb bunker under the building.

This was just one of the doors down here but you really wanted to handle this before heading up to see Loki again, before which you’d have to add another of those patches of the poor guy would burst fully blue in losing his control on your pheromone’s behalf. It was supposed to be easy, true it could have been timed better, you could have waited until your fertile week was over but he truly looked so lonely. You had been that lonely, thousands of planets away from your maternal people, with none of your father’s left and no knowing where he could have been off to this time or when he would pop up again without your calling him.

As the doors opened you exited into the stone room with mirrored bubbles on the dark blue upper half to the stone walls with what seemed to be a mile of bookshelves around the lower half packed with books, diagrams, models and various tools and trinkets around a tall dark blue police box you grinned at and patted in your approach. “Just a few more weeks precious.”

Past the box you chuckled at its whirring in return and you opened the cabinet in the wall with shelves with plastic tubes packed with copies of your pen. From the top right shelf you grabbed one of them and closed the cabinet saying to the box in its next whir with a smile to the box, “I know, I miss it too, but darling, just a few more tweaks to the measurements and I can replace your last converter knob then we can fly again.” Another whir sounded and it fell silent at your next pat on the door, “Who knows, maybe Dad will show up with some spares if he’s not been out populating again.”

With the fake pen added to your purse up to your floor you rode and hid the button again exiting to head for your apartment. Unlocking the door you entered and made your way up to your bedroom, where you dropped the bag on your bed and removed your shoes to leave in your closet, changing from the blouse and jeans you changed to a baggy shirt and sweat capris. Lastly was to add another patch behind your ear. If you were going to lounge you were going to be comfy, next was your makeup to be washed off and down again you went to cross to the next apartment over and gave the door a quick knock.

Up off the chair Loki popped zapping himself to the door he opened for you with a wide grin spreading when he saw you dressed for bed again. “You look comfy.”

Giggling in his step back you entered saying, “Well I rarely spend a day off out of comfy clothes. Glad to see you felt the same.”

Straight to the couch you went joining his side for his trot to beat you there to turn everything back on again. Happily Loki settled beside you and through the films he put on each chance to scoot closer was taken until a believed to be interesting film had his eyes drooping. One droop earned another and somehow in your head drooping onto his shoulder his body seemed to give way sliding to his side with you drooping after him. A subtle wiggle and behind him you draped your arm over his side humming to yourself at the drop of the spotted Otter to coat you with a blanket. In its rise to leave it collected your snacks and floated to the kitchen only for its fur to bristle making it set the snacks down and get to rearranging everything by color before it went back to its nesting cubby in the wall.

.

Inhaling deeply in the raking of nails across his chest through his sweater Loki’s bright red eyes opened in a sea of hormones coursing through his body. Warm, closing his eyes he basked in the warmth of it smoothing his hand over the back of yours to lace his fingers between yours exhaling lowly keeping himself from rolling over. Clearly a forehead was smoothing into his back and a grin ghosted across his lips, centuries he had hidden and planned and been fighting for his way home, little time for contact of any sort past attacks on his person. True he shouldn’t be so willing to show his back to anyone but nothing could get him to wake you and break your hold on him. Every ounce of his hormones screamed for him to turn over and goad you into a less than romantic morning tryst yet still his body molded back against yours in the easing of your leg over the side of his to savor the touch.

The whistle of a kettle stirred him from another nap he had slipped into and once again apple scents filled the air and by the emptiness of his hand he sat up to inspect the room only to flinch seeing the glaring spotted Otter there with a pair of mugs on its palms. One red and the other green with black spots, the latter was the one he pointed to and it floated away signaling his slow rise. Tentatively he followed it to the kitchen where he found you giggling in your spotting him up on his feet, the adorable uncertain glances at the Otter had broken your mental relay on having fallen asleep holding the Prince. “I see you’ve upset Coco.”

“That was not my intention.” The Otter floated up to his side and his head pulled back an inch, “I am terribly sorry, I did not mean to upset you. Truly.”

With a huff he passed Loki his chosen mug and then floated away to the opening in the wall it floated through making the Prince with raised brows turn to see you still smirking, “Sorry, I should warned you about changing things after their leaving. They are a bit sensitive, especially Coco.”

“I, shall try to adjust to color sorting.” He said glancing into his pantry.

With a giggle you replied, “Don’t worry, I will try to help you compromise.”

“So they are like Vision then, overheard his arguments countless times even years later.”

.

Breakfast slid into changing for your outing and again his hand reached out to claim yours for the trot down to the car. The classic suit shop instantly welcomed you both with a soft bell above the door and the suit clad man behind the counter came over to you asking, “Prince Loki I presume?”

Loki nodded, “Yes.”

The man stepped aside in a turn, “Of course, follow me please, father is waiting for you.”

Through the shop to the door in the wall he opened for you opening the private fitting area an elderly man stood with a grin next to a display of fabrics and styles beside a platform across from a set of standing mirrors. His grin widened as his hand outstretched for you speaking adoringly, “There you are songbird. Lovely as ever.” Loki glanced between you two then caught the man’s eyes in his stating, “Quite the protector you’ve got here. Saved me from the trenches with only her whiles and a pen.” His eyes turned to you patting the back of your hand cradled in his, “Haven’t aged a day since the war.” Looking to Loki he said, “You should hear some of her stories. Quite impossible tales all the way back to Troy.”

Loki looked you over and you giggled saying, “I’m only about 1200 years old, but you’d never tell. I am so sorry for staying away for so long.”

“Oh, my dear. You have nothing to apologize for. Off saving the world.”

His hand released yours and you glanced at Loki saying, “Or the oceans, one Otter at a time.” Making him chuckle and shake the hand of the elderly man he had offered.

“Here, up onto the platform we will get some measurements.”

Up there his grin doubled in climbing up on the platform keeping watch of you in the mirror seated in one of the offered chairs along the wall.

*

“What are we doing here?” Hank asked Scott as he finished wiggling his fingers into the gloves on his suit after adjusting the straps across his chest.

“I have a job to do.”

Hope, “A job you still haven’t explained.”

Looking at her Scott said, “Look, I understand you don’t trust Stark, but this is a simple job.”

Hank turned in his seat, “Oh really? Then what are you taking from this suit shop?”

“A pen.”

They both asked as he hit the button on his chest in the closing of his mask, “A pen?!”

Onto his latest wasp steed he hopped and piloted his way into the shop through the vents making Hope and Hank watch on the monitors. All at once in the slits of the vent their lips parted recognizing you making Hank say, “Please tell me you are not stealing anything from Jaqi Pear!”

Through the earpiece he heard Scott reply, _“Don’t worry, she knows I’m here.”_ Through the slits his focus turned to the other body in the room though.

Hope, “What do you mean she knows?!”

Scott, “What is Prince Loki doing here?” He asked seeing Loki eying the suit jacket marked to fit him perfectly while the man hurried off to get some more supplies while you stood next to the platform getting a closer look and chatting with Loki. “There it is.” He said flying lower near the chair with your purse on it laying open. Landing on the ground he hopped off and hit the button on his chest growing again.

Lost in his adoring gaze at you Loki stated, “So, we have blue, green, maroon, silver and a black with tails for the Black Tie on Friday. You are certain this is not too much?”

The giggle you gave broke at Loki’s sharp turn with daggers appearing in his palms brushing you behind him in a hop off the platform spotting Scott. “Oh shit!” Scott exclaimed then shrank again palming your pen as your hand reached around Loki’s back to rest in his chest.

“Loki, let him go.”

Turning around his lips were parted and he said, “That’s one of-,”

Softly you said, “I know,”

Furrowing his brows he asked, “You know?” His eyes dropping to your lips only a matter of inches away at how close he realized he was standing to you.

“Scott came to me yesterday, Stark hired him to steal my pen.”

“Pen?”

In the nearing shuffle of feet you guided him back onto the platform and you said, “He thinks it’s a weapon or something, so I brought a decoy.” A smirk eased onto his lips and you pointed at his hand, “Pietro is so hospitable, kindly try to hide the stabby stabby, he tends to get flash backs.”

Nodding he flicked his hands again and the blades vanished making him chuckle in your raising his sleeve, “They are at home, no hidden sheaths.”

“Hmm.” The door opened and you turned grinning at the man entering with more choices and supplies.

Out in the van again Scott grew again chuckling as he held up the pen, “Got it!”

A swat from Hope landed on his shoulder as Hank said, “You have no idea what you’ve just done. What she can do. Even HYDRA couldn’t stop her, whatever she was up to. You have no idea how many agents were sent after her and came back broken.”

Scott, “She seems so nice. We talked, had some laughs, I mean she got the whole situation and agreed to me stealing the pen.”

Hank’s eyes narrowed in asking, “She was nice to you?”

Scott nodded and Hope said, “Wait, you left SHIELD-,”

Hank nodded, “Exactly, she is not human and you should stay away from her. She’s dangerous.”

Scott scoffed, “Luis has known her his whole life and besides, she backed our business loan.”

Hope’s eyes narrowed, “Really? She runs security-,”

Scott, “Exactly, that is what I asked, but Luis says she’s the sweetest woman on the planet. And I’m kind of believing him. I doubt she would hurt anyone.”

Hank, “Are you forgetting the Prince of Darkness in there? Who tried to stab you?”

Scott waved his hand, “Loki’s not that bad actually. Absurdly polite, I mean even when I’ve gone up to the Tower any time Stark would-,” His face dropped as it all clicked together in his head, “Oh,”

Hank, “Oh what?!”

Scott, “Guys, I think Stark’s the bad guy in this. Or at least the well intentioned good guy who screws things up royally.”

Hope, “Bad guy in what? What does that have to do with Loki?”

“Stark would treat Loki like a pet, Miss Pear helps people, that’s what she does, if Loki’s with her, he asked for help. And with how he jumped between us, I don’t think she’s just helping him pick a suit.”

Hank, “Then, and we’re just going hypothetical here, if she’s not here to be evil, and she just wants to help people, why hasn’t she approached us and just explained who she is?”

Scott, “Maybe it’s to protect us.” Raising Hank’s brow, “Just hear me out, all those time traveling films, if she’s from planets and knows about what we couldn’t even dream of, maybe she stays quiet because none of us will believe her. We only just met Thor, what, a decade ago?”

Hope, “He has a point.” Hank looked at her and she shook her head, “He does, no telling if she knows tech or power sources who she shares with what they could do with it. If SHIELD has always known about her, then there’s no telling how old she is,”

Scott, “Maybe she got stuck here, like crashed here. I heard Loki joking about Troy, not a person but the city. Now, if she was here then, maybe that’s how they’re friends, I mean even Thor doesn’t share much about his old travels to our planet. Maybe they’re protecting us form something, something old.”

Hank, “You mean like Godzilla?” He asked teasingly.

Scott, “You might not believe me but you know she’s old, no telling what creatures she’s seen. I mean look at what Loki brought here! Think of what could be out there!”

Hope mumbled, “Or hiding here,” her eyes met Scott’s, “And now she’s been shielding cities, homes.”

Hank, “You think something’s coming?”

Scott shrugged, “All I know is she wants Stark to get this pen and I’m going to give it to him. It didn’t sound like she wants to hurt him, just tired of him following her around.”


	7. Chapter 7

“These should not take more than a week to be completed in full. And we shall be certain to send the tux out first in time for Friday.”

“Thank you.” You both said and in the joining of your hands readying to turn Pietro spoke again.

“I do hope you like the blue suit as well as your old one.” Loki’s lips parted and the man grinned, “I’ll make it nice and roomy for dancing, just like that one you wore to the Swan Club. I’ll even throw in a hat to go with it.” Adding a wink at the end.

“Thank you.” Loki stated kindly and lead led the path out of the shop as you leaned against his side with your free hand resting in the bend in his arm. When the door closed behind you he glanced down at you still grinning loving the halfway supporting role he held in keeping you upright while you molded against him melting the long lasting chill off his skin from years of isolation. “Swan Club?”

With a giggle you glanced up saying, “I’ll take you there.”

“Yes, but, how did he see me dancing in a club I’ve never been to?”

“Time is a funny thing. Pietro, well, he’s one of the few to see it for the wibbly wobbly jar of marbles it is.”

“So he saw the future?”

Again you giggled saying, “In a way.” Loki wet his lips to ask you to clarify only to grow silent in your rise up to peck his cheek sweetly at the car door saying, “It’s a surprise. I promise, it’ll be worth it.”

With a quick flinch of his hand upwards to touch his cheek he brushed his hair back and lowered to slide inside closing the door as he did. Turning his head he asked, “What type of dancing do they do there?”

In your splitting smile you answered, “Swing dancing.”

“Swing-,” he looked you over in his reach to draw out his phone to read the message from Thor asking if he could bring a show he got that the others don’t like. “Ah, Thor is asking to come over.”

“Sounds like fun.”

His eyes landed on you and he said, “Yes. Yes it does.” Holding back how these plans of being alone with Thor greatly impeded his chance to nap with you again. “What will you do?”

“Oh, I’ve got a knob I need to make for one of my boxes.”

“A knob?”

You nodded, “It’s a very special one, has to be precise or disaster to the cosmos and all that.” Making him chuckle as you said, “Pretty thrilling stuff.”

“Indeed.”

*

“You seem at home already, Brother.”

Loki smirked watching Thor unload his supply of snacks across the coffee table while Loki eyed the disk he added into the open disc tray, “I am. Miss Pear has seen to my every comfort to be so.” A gentle push and the tray closed signaling his turn to find his brother smoothing his hands over the remnants of his belly he had been working off over the past year in his lingering struggle with his once crippling depression Loki had been helping him face.

“I have wronged you. In countless ways.” Loki exhaled and moved to sit by his brother taking his hand to allow him to spill all his pent up thoughts. Again their life had been hashed out, though this time mainly focused on their relationship since his exile. Near an hour Thor spoke and listened to how his friends in his search for their approval to feel right again in his new life banished from his home and listened to Loki and how all of it had affected him and ways they could work to continue improving their bond and respect for one another. When the open wound sat without any more words to say an agreed upon respite was taken and the disc in the player was switched on and the snacks were dished out onto plates with the pair resting their feet up trying to understand the odd Midguardian tale Thor was trying to be fluent in to grow closer to young Parker in his love of it.

He still did seek approval, and was working on his ego, but at least the pair were speaking openly and honestly and trying not to revert to their early days of being set against one another. Thor, never wanting or fully matching the standards for King accepted Loki and their Mother had been managing the Kingdom masterfully and their people had never been more content. He had faced that not being who Odin had hoped him to be did not make him any less and certainly did not give him any rights to have dealt with his jealousy of Loki how he had. Even in scorn and hatred the silver tongued Prince always seemed at ease in dealing with others confidently, a trait Thor ached for even still. But here they sat in a stance to better themselves inside and out.

“Have you shared a bed yet?” The question tore Loki’s eyes to his brother relaxed beside him fueling a rage filled rant to defend your honor only to halt in his adding, “You smell of her is all, more than since your return from Paris.”

“I did fall asleep in her apartment through a film the other day, and a machine of hers has obstructed her pheromones.”

“You speak as if she was a Mare brother, mind your toes.”

Loki rolled his eyes, “That is exactly how Miss Pear explained it to me. Patches were crafted by her for her neck to aid in diluting them. Her natural allure was-,”

Thor chuckled out, “Had I not known better I would name her a succubus. Able to draw in men of any standing or strength to their will. Was it troubling for you? The change?”

Loki exhaled curtly, “You remember your coming of age, the heat?”

Thor nodded, “Father and Mother nearly had me in chains to keep me tolerable.”

“We had decided on breakfast and I simply walked in, and I could feel the same draw to her. Somehow she noticed the effect on me and stepped out to apply her forgotten patch, returning in this wave of apple scent.”

Thor glanced at him again, “It is comforting a scent.”

“True.”

“When you spent the night, where did Miss Pear sleep?” His grin spread in Loki’s catching his gaze and darting glance away crossing his arms over his chest in a heavy exhale, “Keep your secrets then. Quite fond of you, I dare say she would jump at the chance to court you.”

“Now who is telling tall tales?” Loki teased back taking a bite of a chip he had lifted.

Thor smirked saying in a sigh, “All I know is were I to house one so lavishly and requiring nothing but company while verbally battling troubling family and enemies set on attacking the object of such dotage, that would require quite a level of adoration on my part.” Loki’s eyes shifted to land on him timidly making Thor reach over and pat his shoulder, “Stated it plainly in my opinion. Though as usual take your own pace, Brother. You will see it yourself.”

“Why would she wish to be Queen though, were you to be correct in the assumption?”

Thor smirked saying, “No wish at all, you are the prize, Brother, not the crown.” In that Loki’s eyes flinched wider for a moment and he looked forward again to the screen, “Terrifying isn’t it?” Loki glanced at him again, “Jane felt that for me, for a time, then thought worse of me. Miss Pear knows the worst of you and yet openly adorns you with rightly earned adoration. You have an unmatched heart. The woman of your choosing must be mighty in deed to have earned it.”

“Now you sound like Mother.”

“Who is often right.” Making Loki chuckle again.

“Miss Pear is mortal.”

Thor shook his head, “I would not be so certain.” Making Loki look at him, “The photographs Tony has discovered even in the opening of her company, it has been decades and she has not aged a day.” Thor’s eyes shifted over his face and he said, “You have noticed something?”

Loki wet his lips and turned his head to catch his eye, “In our suit shop appointment the old man mentioned her at a club he frequented in the Second World War. Only,”

“What?”

“He mentioned seeing me there. With Miss Pear in a blue suit and hat like the one he is crafting for me.”

Thor’s brows furrowed, “How is that possible? We were not allowed to travel to Midguard in that time gap.”

Loki shrugged, “Miss Pear stated she would take me sometime, and that I would see what the man had talked about, that it was a surprise.”

Thor shook his head in a shrug, “Then all that is left is to allow her to surprise you. Discovering what life the creature is hiding.”

Loki, “I only hope that truth is still far from deserving of Tony’s mistrust.”

Thor chuckled, “Tony is often wrong. He will see her character and adjust in time.”

*

“This isn’t working, is it?” Scott turned the pen over in his palm again in a deep sigh then practiced again, “Mr Stark, I have your pen!” Again a snicker had broken free after his own inspection of the pen had named its secrets clearly chosen to irritate Stark.

Up into Stark tower he strode and straight for the elevator he rode up to the top floor and beamed in Tony’s distraction to set the pen down, “One pen, as promised.”

A simple pass of a check and a quick grin later Tony said, “Thank you. I trust this will be handled with the utmost discretion?”

Scott nodded, “Wouldn’t have it any other way, Sir. I will leave you to your investigation.” Turning around in Tony’s lifting the pen with a spreading smirk he gained a smirk of his own heading back to the metal box that was step one of the trip home.

.

His smirk soon traded for an irritated scowl as the pen sat in front of him and the smirking Dr Banner and Dr Strange tried not to snicker at what the pen had been revealed to do. The crystal end was no more than a fancy flashlight with a setting to project funny cat clips complete with a hidden dial to play cat sounds from the hidden speaker.

Again Tony’s brow twitched and he said, “I have to be missing something.”

Dr Strange, “Or it could just be a novelty pen in a fancy suit.”

Bruce, “She does seem the sort to enjoy a good cat clip every now and again. Maybe it helps her to focus on life when work gets too hard.”

Tony stood up, “Maybe Vision can see something in it I can’t.” Turning to go find the endlessly informed one in question he left freeing the duo to burst into bubbling laughter at how much he was working himself up over this pen supposedly being more than it was.


	8. Chapter 8

Work since that suit appointment had kept your freedom at bay. Breakfasts were kept as shared meals with Loki treasuring hearing about your plans while he had made good on your offer of lending him your car to pick up a few things he had forgotten to stock up on in your shared trip to the shops. Stolen moments of freedom came behind the wheel of the sports car he was allowed to borrow and even with sights of Natasha and other agents on his route still keeping the Prince under surveillance, though now at a milder distance. Monitored freedom but a freedom none the less with clear links to the source of said freedom just a call away if they dared to try and rope him back to the tower again.

The upcoming event on top of the sparse times with you had his nerves mounting. A stolen slip into your nightly reading from a feigned borrowing of a book at the end of his short stack he had bought however had calmed him at least with another joint drift off to sleep at opposite ends of the same couch.

The gentle sunset waking the Prince, who in his sleep had shifted to his side extending a hand to drape over the ankle of the woman on the couch beside him felt his eyes opening when his thumb pressed a bit tighter onto a vein in your ankle clearly revealing quite an odd heartbeat. Though just waking and still swimming his way out of his sleepy daze body had a different idea of what to do past inspecting it further. In a shift he sat up and turned to drape behind you properly lulling your body to melt against his under his arm laying across your middle. Sleep had been hard to come by and for now at least the goal was another night with you in his arms.

A leg had slid between his with a knee pulling his higher holding his hips flush against yours, arms tangled under the blanket and in the burrowing of his head into the back of yours a smoothing of fingers eased under the sleeve on his green shirt. That was what brought you out of sleep, curious raised ridges under finger strokes far from readable. In a deep inhale cracking an eye open to see what it was the swirling ridges around the wrist branched up in solid lines with diagonal dashes and dots in between on the inner side of the arm. Again in his sleep the Prince’s arm tightened around your middle and closing your eyes the sleeve was tugged down and over it a grip on his arm was returned calming the slumbering belief you were trying to break out of his hold.

It was clear he was not Asgardian, he was not like Thor, the red eyes were evident enough and now with such markings over his arms he clearly kept hidden from you in his earlier days of having his dress shirts rolled up. Nestling back into his hold it was decided to wait, allow him to bring up his hidden traits, unless you couldn’t help yourself of course. They reached up his inner arm, it was a hope they were like fingerprints, that he was born with them and not having been self inflicted, you could never handle that, him being in such pain to have etched such a vast set of markings into his skin. Warmly you were cuddled back to sleep and joined the Prince in grumbling at the alarm sounding from the panel on the wall to wake up hours later.

“I’m up,” The chiming dropped to soft trickling of notes had you grumbling again and dipping your hand lower to grab Loki’s leg making his eye crack open, “Your leg’s longer.” In the tap of his foot to the floor the alarm silenced making him chuckle and settle his head behind yours on the pillow.

“Intriguing addition to getting up out of bed. Easily bested though.”

“That, was merely the snooze, we have seven minutes or the couch gets tilted up.”

“That intent on remaining in bed?”

“I do love to lounge.”

“Do you need to go somewhere?”

“No, manicure appointment, did you want in?”

“Hmm,”

“If you like you can watch mine get done and decide then.”

“Would I be able to choose a color, or clear coat only?”

After a giggle you said, “They’re your fingers, Prince Loki.”

“I might try gold.”

“Ooh, with sparkles?”

“Perhaps, though Pepper once had this forest green that looked interesting.”

“You could always alternate, or have diagonal designs in alternating colors.”

Again the chiming picked up and huffing to yourself you found your feet and said, “I’m up.”

After tugging up your sleeves you led Loki down to the lowest floor with tea in hand where you chose black nail polish topped with silver glittery specks across them randomly resembling stars while Loki grinned seeing his forest green shimmering nails with golden glittering arches around the edges and bed of his nails. Pedicures were set to match the base colors and in paying you led the way up to breakfast before you would split up to get ready.

Though a grin from you held him in place and at the boxes you accepted from the floating otters they had fetched from your closet that had arrived the night prior a curious smirk eased across Loki’s lips. “Thought you might need a couple finishing touches.”

Wetting his lips he opened the top box, the smaller of the two and his lips parted seeing his symbol in the Norse faith of two interlocked snaked above his name in Norse Runes etched into the golden cufflinks. “I know the stories recorded and what actually happened for you and your family aren’t exactly cohesive, though I thought you might like them. Even if they aren’t-,”

“They are incredible.” His eyes locked onto yours, “Even though I do not have a symbol, per se, on Asgard, I do admire this one, and the runes are correct. I will be honored to wear them.” Looking down he said, “I cannot imagine what the other surprise might be.”

With a smirk you said, “Not hard to guess, though the details, might be a bit harder to guess.”

Inside the second box his lips parted again seeing the black ring coated face of the watch with white glowing speckles he shifted the outer ring around the face revealing different settings. One to follow the moon cycle exposed by the moon in the center and various constellations and planets with a special marker on the ring he could hit showing the galaxy around Asgard. When his eyes locked on yours you said, “I thought you might like it, not just for telling time and the date. To help you find your way, or just remember our little corner of the world when you are on Asgard again. Water proof, shatterproof and solar recharged battery included, has a compass and all that, and,” in a reach into his view you pointed to an extra dial he could pull out and you said, “If you needed to get in touch. A communicator.”

Smirking at you he asked, “How powerful a communicator?”

Smirking back playfully you quipped, “You might be surprised.”

“Thank you, truly. You must have put quite a great deal of effort into this. I will treasure it always.”

Nipping at your lip you nodded then said, “Well, I should let you get ready. Tails take a while.” In a chuckle he nodded and thanked you again turning for his own apartment still in awe at the watch he had eased onto his wrist smiling at the etching across the back, _‘Always believe that something wonderful is about to happen.’_

It was simple, and hopeful, and for a moment everything he needed to have strapped to his wrist to help keep him going on his worst days. A glimpse of home, a glimpse of you, a bridge of sorts between the two. Layer by layer he readied after basic primping and finalized the look with the securing of his cufflinks in the hall only to turn with lips parting at your long sleeved silver shimmering gown practically poured over you with only a cutout over your back revealing any of your skin. Your silver clip secured bun held in place for a sleek look already making him feel under dressed out of his armor and cape. A gown like that you were ready to be presented to a King, not being taken to some Midguardian dinner, no matter how fancy the occasion was slated to be.

A loop of your arm in his extended elbow and his heart began to flutter imagining the faces of the men seeing you arrive on his arm. Though that came with a landslide of doubts on being the one on your arm. The killer, the invader, mass murdering psychopath. How could he ever be deserving of an innocent’s attentions or company? How could he ever make anyone understand the reasons behind it when this planet was so far behind his own? How could he ever be enough for all your kindness?

Small talk led to dinner and more talking while the orchestra readied. A single glance of a man tapping your elbow at the bar in his step away to explain a painting fuller to a woman who asked if he knew about the artist and his heart dropped. His answer was given and the woman gone leaving him turning for the terrace. Straight to the stone half wall he went unbuttoning his outer jacket in a sharp exhale trying to reign in his tears threatening to fill his eyes imagining you spending the night in another’s arms to dance and at the worst to sleep. There was no bond past monetary partnership and in fair exchange he had fulfilled his duty, escorting you here tonight, just as you had fulfilled yours, housing and pampering him to comfort.

“I hate realtors.” The sound of your voice tore his eyes open and his mind from the edge seeing a glass of champagne set in front of him, “Every party nonstop offers on my building.”

“Realtors?” The frailty of his tone and bare glace at you made you dip under his arm and have his wide eyed teary gaze looking you over.

Moving closer in a simple ease of your hands around his sides his chest rose in a deep inhale as you hummed out, “I believe you owe me a dance, Prince Loki.” The reach for his folded back vest had his eyes shut and body inching closer in a sort of timid hug in the ease of his arm around your back followed by the other. In his next inhale showing he was readying to release you, you hummed near his ear, “I would not abandon you. I arrived with you and perhaps we should take a spin or two around the floor then let the land hungry men watch us go back to our apartment for some dessert?”

“Those tarts were disgraceful,” making you giggle in his hands slowly sliding off your back allowing you to secure his vest for him and watch his downing the glass as you did the same with yours followed by an offer of his hand paired with a confident grin mustered up by your assurance and embrace. A gentle press of his lips to your knuckles and back into the room he led you in a camera drawing set of dances, close and intimate with whispered conversation appearing far from the childish jokes and gossip it was, followed by an early departure flooding stories out across social media of the supposed serious relationship.

_‘Lovers caught in an embrace.’_ The title read and the picture behind it showed what seemed to be your lips on Loki’s cheek and him smirking in the drawing of his arms around your lower back. Below the picture Loki scrolled down and read the brief synopsis of your smirk and loving stare filled dinner followed by a subtle slip from the Prince out of the ballroom allowing you both the private moment. A kiss to your knuckles and several comments on the intimate holds in dancing, subtle traces of his fingers lower on your back and down your arms and a final stolen imagined kiss to your cheek, really a whispered secret, but not from that angle.

Closing the app on his phone in your putting away your phone after it’s alerting you to your father’s ship being within a week’s distance away. A grin slipped onto his face and keeping the news to himself to keep the night from being spoiled he kept his mind focused on the hour prior with you in his arms imagining you were dancing in his home and not here for the mortal’s supposed need for gossip.

Talk of what treats was shared and upon return a simple stripping to your pajamas was had and around the ice cream set on your kitchen island you chose your dessert to go with your brownies and cookies and went to lounge through the movie Loki had picked.

Washed and comfortable away from the public eye back to your continued bliss of the protected apartment building and couch where once again he could hold you possibly through the night. It was impossible to stop now, imaginings Royal occasions with you on his arm, a chance to return the favor and flaunt you proudly in return once he found his way home.

A momentary flash of awkwardness slid across your face making his head tilt in a glance at his exposed arm in cleaning up your dishes and he asked, “Is something troubling you, Miss Pear?” Again refusing to cross that line of intimacy out loud hoping partially you might insist again on his using the informal title for you.

“When we were sleeping last night, I felt some marks on your arm.” His lips parted and you said, “I know you’re not human and according to Thor not Asgardian, but I have to ask,” Inhaling deeply he gave a slight nod only to have his brows furrow in shock at your asking, “You didn’t carve those in your arms yourself, did you?”

All at once it washed over him in the concern in your eyes how worried they had made you for his well being and he flatly replied in his still shaken tone, “No.” Hastily he wet his lips and extended his arms lowering your gaze at the rising of his Jotun ridges, “I am a Jotun, I have them on my back, face and neck as well. Though I prefer to keep them to myself.” A timid lift of your fingers to stroke one of the swirls had him saying, “They are unique, for each Jotun.”

“Like snowflakes?” You asked catching his gaze and his nod.

“I did not mean to concern you, merely they rise again in my sleep occasionally.”

“I’m just glad you wouldn’t hurt yourself.”

In a tilt of his head he hid the marks again saying, “Not counting plans for myself and Thor to harm one another or my playing dead to distract others, no, I try to avoid physical harm as others would.”

“Good.” A glance towards the living room in a wonder as to what film you would choose to end up taking you from the minor tasks on your to do list possibly ending in another morning of waking up in the grip of the snuggle happy Prince.

Tonight however Thor would call and ask to finish their marathon and the blonde would be the one he would wake beside on the connected lounging couches of their private theater. The night however would continue to play on in his dreams while you tinkered in the bunker far below sharing with your precious Tardis that parts were soon in the way knowing your father would never allow you to be stranded for very long anywhere or any time. Tonight was flawed but perfect all the same. The beauty of the moment had faded but the joy was still there.


	9. Chapter 9

Nearly a week Thor had been in and out of the apartment while you focused on your repairs and in the lull of your being needed at work you took to cuddling up and reading through your old stack of unread books. It truly was odd for you to have to spend every day at work and you were glad to be back to your reclusive state to ease the travels you hoped to have when your Tardis was repaired. Staring up at the stars had begun too painful to bear since being grounded here. And in this new timeline you had managed to catch up on their varied history since the wormhole you had led Gallifrey and the Time Lords through after stealing your Tardis to help change the Time War had spat you all out in this altered dimension.

Creatures mainly were the same with only in this timeline the three Starks to die in that car crash now was dropped to two leaving a son in a very dangerous situation. True there were worse than Stark in the old dimension you had to stave off and in place of a few invasions you knew of these Avengers and Mutants had risen to fill the void with equally as devastating effects now making your existence here a tad bit more believable. Time travel truly wasn’t that unbelievable anymore, especially not now that Steve Rogers had launched himself into the past in hopes of finally getting the girl.

All the same between bouts with Thor when he would get called back to the Tower to aid Stark in some unspoken diagrams the snuggle prone Prince would slip into your apartment to crawl into your reading nest and enjoy the peaceful breaks sharing all you had been studying. Yet today you were off to another event, a simple garden party for a high up General’s daughter who you had helped to protect her new penthouse apartment and the building around it, somehow meaning she felt indebted to invite you and a guest along to her party for the pompous to mingle.

“Why History?” The question jolted you from your thoughts on how today was meant to go and you flashed the Prince a grin catching his gaze when his chin propped up on your shoulder.

“If you don’t know the past you’re doomed to repeat it. Plus it is interesting to see how the public history matches HYDRA and SHIELD’s records.”

“What does it say about you?” He asked playfully with a goading smirk.

“Nothing. What did you expect it to say? Decades of me facing off against Starks?”

Making Loki chuckle and ask, “Something, anything after how Pietro spoke about you.”

“Little hands Loki, little hands and little names make the world go round,” spreading his smirk curiously as you brushed a stray strip of hair out of his face, admiring the gentle spirals his hair twisted in proving he was slowly showing you more of his hidden self. The thought in private leading you to assume he had a natural poof of hair similar to yours he straightened explaining his usual slicked back style most likely to fit the styles of his homeland. “We don’t all get to be Alexanders the Great and Einsteins. However, to pass nameless through the fabric of it all,” your head tilted a moment making his shift in an adoring glance over your face, “You can see it all, feel it all, and even change and Alexander, Einstein, or even a Stark.”

“Fascinating,” he hummed out absolutely enamored with the notion of your idea, traveling the world and possibly universe nameless to see everything and change the world. None of this without you however, inside his heart swelled imagining all the places he could show you, all the incredible things to have you in awe of what he alone had discovered expanding the world he had grown in from what little his people had taken the time to see. Mostly he wanted you. Floating through all of space, holding you while you soared between the stars, kissing you on the ruins of civilizations who had abandoned their homes to explore the stars once you had discovered all the secrets they had to tell. He wanted you, and maybe, just maybe, if you never stopped exploring and learning, and he never stopped discovering new adventures time would be kind, just this once, and let him keep you. Let you stay. Let him be yours always.

Fingers raked through his hair and again his grin deepened in your giggling, “What?”

He shook his head, “Nothing.”

Out you giggled again, “It is a tad ridiculous of an idea, however most discoveries are half mad notions to begin with. So if you are coming up with something to tease me,”

Tightening his arms around your sides your voice broke off in his head resting on your shoulder burying his forehead against the side of your neck, “No teasing. Go on, tell me what secrets that book holds.”

Shifting your leg he held his position hoping you wouldn’t move him and all you did was slide one leg farther under his hips while your other leg went over his to draw it out more to line him up as your arms draped across his back you covered to help prop up the book making him close his eyes at the position. To the sound of your voice and the sound of his own slowing heartbeat he drifted off holding you closer, and if he hadn’t dreamed it he could have sworn when you set the book down to wrap more around him for another nap in return, a kiss was left on his forehead. Something simple, innocent and fast where his lips planting drowsily in return on the end of your collar bone did nothing but swell up a surge of dreams making it near impossibly difficult to remain just snuggling with the drowsy Prince you now ached to wake up to break every rule you had set for yourself.

*

Fixing his tie Tony passed through his office again, “Now Vision, we are heading for the exhibit today and I have a special task for you. I would like you to keep an eye on Miss Pear, find out something, anything. You’re more observant for small ticks and clues we might be missing.”

Vision flatly stated, “I promised Wanda we would tour together.”

Tony, “Well you can do both. Not be right hovering behind her, but check in, you know, subtle.”

Vision, “I am many things Tony, subtle is not one of them.”

Tony turned and patted his shoulder, “I have faith in you.”

Then strolled away for Vision to mumble, “Your ill gotten faith will land me in another argument with Wanda.” Turning to fix his cape over his suit in the mirror.

*

Mint green shirt for Loki and a peach flowing dress for you settling around your knees making him imagine some sort of flower blended in his place in the car, out of your days of snuggling his place at your side had leapt forward. Out of habit his arm had extended and with a hint of a dopey grin you leaned against his side with his fingers sweetly tracing shapes into your skin just under the layered sheer strip of fabric stitched to the thin shoulder strap miming a sleeve. He didn’t have to come today, you had told him, this would probably be the dullest event yet possibly flooding you with more questions possibly taking you from his attentions for a time but he insisted, he lied, said Thor would be there to distract him, the whole Avengers team would, he had people to talk to, people he barely knew even after living together for so long, but people none the less.

The arrival of your car didn’t go unnoticed and in your slide out he got to take in each detail of you cast in sunlight to find his feet and take your hand for the walk inside. Subtle and not to subtle glances were cast as in a sea of whispers and flashes you entered the building and handed over your purse to be scanned and chatted with the awed man behind the xray arch you passed through that in his distraction flashed as your pen was being scanned from your scan to a doctored one leaving only one with such acute eyesight and neurological speed to have caught it. Sure as day Vision had seen what he could not believe, the woman Tony had set him after had two hearts.

Loki was next exposing etchings on his bones and ridges across his scalp and shoulder blades, signs that jotuns like certain animals used to have spikes there to help deter predators in the youth of their people. Straight to mingling you went and seeing a flood of people in a whisper by your ear Loki excused himself to fetch your drinks. Up to the bar he went and that was where he found Sam, “You seem cozy.” He said halfway leaned back against the bar holding the base of his sparkling water refusing to drink at one of these events after having seen how rowdy Bucky would get trying to correct every piece’s history as if he was the expert for having been in the 40’s, even if the subject piece was far from that time period.

“Miss Pear and I are getting along famously, yes.”

Sam chuckled, “Oh you’re famous alright. Can’t switch on the tv without seeing some update on your coupleyness. Now they’re sketching possible babies since you guys holed up in your place all week.”

“Hmm,” he turned to the now attentive bartender who had recognized him and jumped to service and turned to fix the order he was given, “Well I suppose if there is nothing to gossip over people will create it.”

Sam smirked, “So no baby making going on?”

“There are tradition and ceremonies to be had before children will be brought into this world.”

Sam, “No, I mean-,”

Loki said, “I know what you meant.” Locking his eyes on Sam’s, “However alluring Miss Pear is to the masses of this planet I would never betray her trust by discussing our trysts.”

That had Sam smirking as Loki raised the colored mixed drinks in martini glasses he strolled off with to smirk to himself as Sam said, “So there are trysts?” In a shake of his head the smirk dropped and Sam hurried of to pull Bucky away from the curator of the event seeing the tell tale signs he was about to start arguing.

.

From your side even to Peter Parker’s he strode after handing off your drink casually greeting the slightly wide eyed teen at his side, “It is a lovely day, Parker.”

Peter nodded, “Yes,” in a quick sip of his drink his mind reeled and he asked, “So, you like Mayan art? I have a project due on it, Tony thought it would help to bring me.”

Loki shrugged, “I suppose, this however is not Mayan.” That made the teen peer up at him wide eyed only to listen and join him to a small table where he grabbed a stack of unused napkins to start sketching proper symbols and even hinted that he knew just where the Mayans had gone to leaving the teen on the edge of his seat as he brought up information from books available from the database on the phone you had given him.

..

In a relieved sigh you found your way out onto the balcony thankful for the breeze and allowed slip away. Finishing off your drink you eyed the glass almost pitifully wishing you knew what concoction Loki had chosen for you so you might order another. A passing waiter took your glass with a grin and you strolled to the edge of the balcony to look out into the distance only to glance back at the sound of a billowing cape. Grinning softly you eyed Vision and turned to face him on his approach, “Hello Vision.”

“Miss Pear. It has come to my attention a question I must ask you.”

“Sounds serious.” You said holding your pleasant grin.

“It is, rather, a life and death question,” that had your head tilting slightly wondering what he could mean, “From my research it is most common for humans to in fact have one heart to power their bodies.”

“True.”

“And yet for a millisecond on your scan it revealed you have two. I have been scouring my databases and I have not found any records of humans surviving with two hearts.”

“No, you wouldn’t,”

“I do not understand then-,”

In a sigh you started your bold faced half truth, appealing to his logic and notions of fear, “My parents did what they could to keep my condition hidden. People with two hearts don’t survive once discovered because there is often a good chance those who find them take one to donate them to others in need of a heart.” That parted his lips, “I hide my past not because I have an ulterior motive or some evil plan, but because if some heartless scientist discovers my secret they will cut me open and it will kill me. My body cannot survive on one heart, and no matter how selfish that may seem when there are those in need of one, I deserve my full lifespan as much as they deserve theirs.”

His eyes looked you over, “You have been hunted in the past for your heart?”

“All my life people have been trying to work me out. The only reason SHEILD isn’t all over you is because Stark has showed them everything, down to the last bolt. They’ve tested each of the team, even Wanda, only Thor and Loki are able to skip the tests because Asgardians are deemed allies. One of the few examples of other races landing here where they didn’t end up on an autopsy table. I’m alone here, I understand your curiosity, but I can’t imagine what Stark would do-,”

“I will not tell him.” Your eyes looked over his, “You have my word, I will not betray your trust. I did not realize how much danger you felt yourself in.” Somehow he straightened up a bit more saying, “This is what I will research, a way to create artificial organs, so butchers will not attack innocents.” In a nod of his head he said, “Do enjoy your day, I must return to find Wanda.”

Turned around he scanned the crowds and strolled off leaving you to glance at the door seeing Loki stroll through with a refill in hand. “Everything alright?”

You nodded accepting the drink with a grin saying, “You have to tell me what this is.”

In a smirk he replied in a purr, “Ah, but then I wouldn’t be able to fetch them for you now would I?” Making you smirk in return lifting your glass as he did for a sip.

…

Two more days of hiding and burrowing away again you dolled up for Thor’s birthday party. A simple sundress was in store for the poolside affair where the golden haired Prince took the chance to bring you in closer to get to know you better. Loki however was a bit more preoccupied with the odd heartbeat he heard waking with his head on your chest. While you showered and he changed for the party he had a double scouring the internet for heart condition in mortals leaving him only grim outlooks for each the more he dug meaning he would have to find some way to get you to Asgard to have his healers look you over and hopefully find a way to repair the illness you were hiding.

Lounging by the pool you answered questions and shared in the conversation the Princes were holding with Peter about the show they had been binging on brightening his mood as his friends from before the snap were off at colleges across the country while he studied at NYU.

Even Sam and Bucky came closer to join in the conversation only to break into an argument with Loki about his comments on the Mayan Empire. A trip to the bath and when you exited you found Vision floating outside the door, “Miss Pear, I would like to show you my models.” With a nod you joined him to the sitting room where he pulled up on his tablet the holographic designs yet when Wanda asked for help with the drinks you agreed to talk later and returned just in time for Bucky to turn and face you still confused about your father.

Bucky, “Any word from your father?”

“He’s around, why?”

Bucky, “There’s a funeral and a sort of reunion after for one of our poker buddies.”

You nodded, “Yes, Timothy, good lad.”

Bucky’s head tilted, “You knew him?”

“I’ve met a lot of my dad’s friends. Heard all the stories. Even the ones about you and your buddy Steve.”

Bucky, “Your dad never met Steve past that once.”

“No, but my friend Pietro went to basic with him. Determined little thing. Wonder why you lot ever let him go back there.”

Tony, “How do you know about that?”

You looked at him with a smirk, “You mean how did I notice that five years ago that Stevie boy ceased to exist then one day shows up in the States again reusing his information and decides to settle down and have a family saying screw the fabric of time?”

Tony’s eyes narrowed, “What is that supposed to mean?”

Bucky, “No, what makes you think Steve would do anything wrong by settling down?”

Your brow arched up, “You know Steve a great deal better than I do. So you don’t need to take my word for just how stupid your fella can be.”

Sam’s lips pursed and he said, “She’s got a point.”

Tony, “Oh and I assume you might do better if you went back in time?”

After a quick giggle you said, “Well I certainly wouldn’t do anything for my own gain past curiosity. Certainly wouldn’t be bringing people back from the dead and taking other people’s children.”

Tony, “Other people’s children?”

You nodded, “Unless you forget your old goduncle George before Steve took the place.”

Tony’s eyes narrowed, “George?”

“Exactly my point.” You looked to Bucky, “You remember Georgie, climbed that tower to help take out a sniper trap, that was how he met Peggy, fell broke his collarbone and got saddled to a desk. Spent days together just talking, commiserating. Waited two years for her to be ready to date, and because of Steve Georgie never got to meet Peggy, cuz Steve took her dancing and moved her back to the Brooklyn with him. Very, big, hole.”

His eyes narrowed again and Bucky said, “I remember Georgie, always tried to chat her up. Always flopped.” Looking you over he asked, “What else has changed?”

“You could fill up fifty encyclopedias with the drama your fella’s stirred up.”

Bucky, “I’m gonna have to talk to your dad when he gets here.”

That had Loki stealing a glance at you wondering what your father would be like while hoping that they came soon so he might get to know your family as well. Wishing he might make a good impression on them.

…

With a giggle you turned from your kitchen looking at the teas you had your head turned at the knock at the door making Loki glance at you asking, “I thought guests had to be buzzed in?”

The smile spreading across your face had him grinning curiously, “That would not be a guest.” Following after you to the door he watched you excitedly approach it to open it wide and squeak at the man smiling just as brightly on the other side of it.

“There you are Pumpkin.” Tightly engulfing you in his arms chuckling as you giggled clutching you tightly, “You didn’t think I was going to leave you stranded here, now did you?” When you pulled back you nipped at your lip watching him reach into the satchel at his waist and pulled out a curious looking knob making you squeak again, “Can’t leave everything to the usual routes and leave our Bluejay on the ground. Need you up in the air.” In a twitch of his brows he said, “Got you a whole bag. Now, grab your shoes and we can get to tinkering.”

After another squeak you turned around glancing between your father and Loki and said, “Oh, Daddy, this is Prince Loki. He lives across the hall.”

“Jack Harkness.” When you strolled around him their hands clasped and your father grinned widely looking him over, “Anyone tell you that you have stunning eyes? Glad someone finally earned the apartment.” His eyes followed you and while you were still in earshot he asked, “You two look ready for a party.”

Loki nodded and their hands released, “My brother’s birthday, just got back.”

Nodding again and seeing you were out of earshot your father said, “Prince Loki, I’ll make this simple, you break my little girl’s heart and I’ll tear you in half.” With a pat on his shoulder Loki couldn’t help but smirk in his step back when he stepped through the door in your return closing it behind him to join you in the sitting room where he pulled on the top of the spine on a book and said “Sasquatch,” the password signaling the bookshelf to sink into the floor.

Joining the group Loki couldn’t help but admire the man who had threatened him, well deserved for how incredible you are. Slowly the bookshelf sank and he looked between you two trying to gauge your ages only to see you step on top of the bookshelf your father joined you on then smirked at Loki, “Going down Handsome?”

Rolling your eyes you nodded your head, “Come on, show you how we get to the Swan Club.”

Your father smirked at you, “Ooh, Swan Club, fun times, fun times. Do I get to come?”

When Loki stepped onto the shelf by your father he eyed the cylinders the otter bots were sleeping in pulsing with lights recharging them and keeping them afloat while they held their tiny cubs on their bellies in a sharing of programming for the new batch while their personality chips melded randomly to form each cub to their own quirks based around their basic jobs they were formed to do. The sight making him grin as your father said, “Aww, you found out the coding to get them to reproduce. How cute.”

“Well they kept turning on the discovery channel and bringing me to it. They wanted the fuller families to completely embody otters and their social lives. Besides, they are adorable. Couldn’t resist.”

Past those Loki’s lips parted as the bookshelf came to a stop in a bare stretch of wall and a rolling staircase from the bookshelf to the right rolled over to stop in front of you. Down the steps you led the way with Loki curiously looking over the shelves of books and trinkets parting his lips at the Asgardian globe and the tip of a spear supposedly lost by his grandfather. Down behind your father he trotted and drew closer to that section of shelves.

“Here you go Pumpkin.” The sound of a lock shifting had his head tilting slightly in a reluctant turn, “First, we get your girl off the ground then you can help me with my vortex manipulator.”

“Bout time you let me get my hands on it. Bouncing around like a ping pong ball.”

At that Loki turned his head and his mouth fell open seeing your Tardis surrounded by boards with Gallifreyan symbols and notes with racks of tools far beyond this planet’s capabilities. Inhaling sharply he crossed the room following your giggle through the open door of the box in the rising of the bookshelf again and ceiling closing when it had passed through.

Stepping inside the doorway he peered upwards at the thirty foot tall entrance hall to your Tardis with hardwood floors and walls randomly spotted with round lit cutouts lighting the room. His view ahead leading up to a pyramid of stairs right in the center of the hall topped by the power and steering center. Tall pillars stood going through the balcony above showing more bookshelves reached by a spiral staircase. Arched beams up above met in an observation deck above under an amber colored dome. Five halls were closed by doors etched in differing scenes of Gallifreyan tales.

Around the control panel you and your father stood with tools at your feet while you opened the top panel to remove the worn knob using your sonic screwdriver you had brought from upstairs. A swipe around the tip and you saw the wires from inside you trailed the crystal tip of your screwdriver across for them to release you quickly secured and pressed down to swipe again to lock it in place. Grinning up at the rising column of light from the center console you said, “There you are, Precious.”

Turning your head you saw Loki and his smirk asking, “You’re a Frey.” Inhaling again it clicked in his head what he knew of the Frey, time travelers whose past were entangled with the Asgardians, very old Guardians who were a key role in stopping Hella and the path his people were on before him and Thor were even born. A race with two hearts known to live centuries and blessed with regenerations. Instantly all his worries of losing you to the mortal coil faded away and everything you had joked about with Pietro started to make sense, how you had known him and saved his life when he was in the war.

Looking up at him you smirked asking, “Where did you hear that name? Haven’t heard that in ages.”

Stepping up the steps to you looking over the open panel while your father replaced a few more singed out components clearly fried in a battle saying, “That’s the name my mother taught me belonged to your race.”

In a giggle you said, “We’re Gallifreyan, from Gallifrey.”

Smirking himself your father said, “Though most people call them Time Lords.”

Loki looked at him, “Them?”

Jack grinned saying, “Oh I’m human, well, sort of.”

Loki looked to you and you clarified, “Dad got, regenerated by a human entangled with a Tardis core before I was born and is immortal now.”

Jack, “The Frey side comes from, her mother.” The last two words nearly were growled making Loki glance between you.

Leaning n you whispered, “Dad and Mum don’t really talk. She never mentioned him she was the one behind trying to take over the universe that one time and he never really got over it.”

Jack, “73 years!” he shouted and you closed your eyes a moment, “We set up house for 73 years, raise our baby girl and one day over coffee starts giggling and is all blasé about the time she kept the Doctor in a dog house!” In a huff he goes to grab another tool a few feet away grumbling to himself.

Looking down at you Loki smirked again and you said, “The Doctor, my Godfather, another, Frey. Mum’s long time nemesis, though she used to be the Master, no Mistress back then.”

In a glance around he said, “Hmm, so it is true, you can change genders.”

“Gender is a subjective notion.” Following his gaze to one of the hallways you said, “Feel free to look around. Repairs shouldn’t take long.”

He nodded and like a kid in a candy store he hurried off to the hall, turning around you heard the creak of the door and went to join your father only to hear a second making you shout out, “Careful of the po-…” A distant splash and pants between the sound of water shifting had you finish, “-ol.” A chuckle from your father had you turning around trotting to the door and off to the open door on the right with a puddle in the doorway you entered with a quick grin seeing Loki brushing his curling hair out of his face as he stood after his climb out. “Sorry, I really should put a sign up but I rarely have guests.”

Loki shrugged lowering his hands saying, “No, I should have anticipated the pool starting three inches from the door.”

In a soft giggle you offered him your hand saying, “Come on, let’s get you dry.” Resting his hand on yours you lowered them and turned to guide him down the hall naming each room you passed until you got to a guest bath you led him into and pointed, “Up on the tiles,” he looked you over and you giggled again, “It’s a dryer. Takes three seconds.”

Up he stepped and then he turned his head and pressed the blue button you pointed to with the hand he let go of yours with and his lips parted at the warm gust of wind rippling around him drying him completely. Though in his step down his hands rose to his hair at your smirk up at his poof of curls you turned to pull a comb out of the medicine cabinet you brought back to him handing it over with a giggle. “I’ll let you fix it, the other doors are safe, just mind the pink cabinet in the card room, it tends to scream on occasion if anyone but me opens it.” His brow inched up, “It was a gift from the fourth Doctor.”

“There’s more than one?” In your smirk he nodded, “Right, fourth life.” He wet his lips, “How many is that, for the Doctor?”

“Well, I’ve met 12, though the council mentioned 13 few months back in a conference call.”

When you reached the door he asked, “What about you?”

Turning back you smiled saying, “Just the one so far. And I’m only 1200, one of the oldest first lives for traveling Frey on record.”

“How’d you manage that?”

“Easy, I’m far too stubborn to die.” You said with a giggle stepping out of the doorway to return to the repairs. In a chuckle he turned to the mirror and began to comb his curls back while you exited the hall and grinned at your father.

Chuckling to himself he asked, “First time down here?”

“Well you have to keep a bit of mystery up front, don’t you?”

Looking you over he asked in passing you another part you would be helping him swap while he unhooked the connectors and lifted the floor panel and shifted the backing for it, “How did you meet this Prince Loki?”

“First time, he saved me from being snatched by a SHEILD agent, but I don’t think he remembers that.” His eyes looked at you for a moment seeing you using your screwdriver to loosen the part and wiring attached to it retracting the completely fried circuit sheet. “Couple months back I talked to him at a party at Stark Tower, offered him the apartment.”

“And the watch?” He asked with a smirk making you smile again, “You never make just anyone a watch.”

“He has a kind heart and a troubled past.”

“Ooh, knew it. So tempting.” Making you giggle in his chuckle, “Certainly has eyes for you.”

In a sigh you replied, “He is fantastic.”

“I can imagine he is.” Looking at the panel he lifted again he added, “Nice ass too,” making you giggle again. “So, Asgardian, what are they like?”

“Well I’ve only met the two Princes, ooh and apparently he’s a Jotun raised by Queen Frigga.”

“Jotun.. Where have I heard that?”

“Also called Frost Giants,”

“Ooh,”

You giggled again, “Mhmm, bright red eyes, though Loki can shape shift and make doubles and levitate things and can shoot these odd green energy blasts out of his hands.” You secured the wires for the new circuit plate, “Oh, and he has this trick, he can call his daggers from home, something about enchanted sheaths or something.”

“Love a man with an endless arsenal.” He said lowering the panel you sealed again and he said when Loki reentered the hall, “Ah the living arsenal himself.”

Loki glanced between you and you giggled saying, “I mentioned your dagger trick.”

Loki nodded and flicked his hands when he got closer making your father stand and inspect the daggers he offered him hilt first, “Here you are.” After wetting his lips he pointed at the door he had passed through, asking, “I am curious, there is a door marked ‘Keep Out’ you put a sign on that but not the pool?”

Your father glanced at you as you said, “Oh, that, ya, few decades back there was something growling in there, just decided to wait it out.” Both of them ticked a brow up at you and you said, “Hey, that back end of the wormhole saving Gallifrey fried my control panel, I was a bit distracted trying to steer for a safe landing than worrying about what’s hiding in that room. Couldn’t be Dalek or it’d break the door down. Cyber Men are fairly patient, but even they would get bored. Can’t be biological or I would have gotten a warning. I wanted to check it out, my favorite scarf is in there, Doctor gave it to me.”

With a nod your father looked to Loki lifting the daggers, “Gonna borrow these.” He glanced at you, “Keep working. I’ll call if I need my plasma ray.”

Up the steps Loki timidly inched closer and crouched beside you eyeing the lever you were calibrating listening as you shared what you were doing with him. Down the hall however your father pressed his ear against the door hearing a soft growl making him tentatively grab and turn the knob easing the door open.

A quick flip of the switch and the room lit up bringing the silver robotic dog rolling out from under a chair to his attention. In a pleased chuckle he entered the room, “Oh! K9! There you are!”

“Affirmative.”

Moving to crouch greeting the singed and dented metal dog hurrying over to him, “This is where you got to. We’ve been looking for you. Left a nasty mess back on, oh, well doesn’t matter now. Tried to dig you out but I guess they weren’t lying. Whoops. Well, come on then, sorry bout that Jaqi didn’t know it was you in here.”

At his feet K9 happily rolled with him out of the room wobbling every few feet making Jack look down at him saying, “Just through here, Jaqi will see you right.”

Into the main hall he wobbled and his ears wiggled seeing you look up and smile, “K9!” Loki’s head tilted seeing the clearly damaged robot you scooted to the edge of the stairs in his hurried roll over to you.

“I have missed you, Bluejay.”

When he reached you, you asked gently patting his side, “How did you get in here?”

K9, “Doctor ordered me here when I took fire.”

“I am so sorry you’ve waited so long in there.”

K9 slurred out, “That is alright, I have been relaying my chess memory grid.”

Crouching down more you eased the panel off his side and drew your head back at the waft of smoke you fanned away then you said, “No wonder you’ve got the wobbles, you must have taken a phase blast. All this circuitry will need to be replaced.”

K9, “If repairs are beyond completion I might initiate my self destruct sequence, Mistress.”

After a nip at your lip, “No! None of that now. Just curious, I’ve come up with some designs for an upgrade if you would like to run through them?”

K9, “Affirmative.” With a grin you brought over a tablet from the control panel you brought up the plans on that he flipped through the diagrams for as you and Jack went back to finish the adjustments on the console allowing the Tardis to run through its usual checks and sweeps before being able to travel. Softly it began to hum when you moved to K9’s side hearing his eager humming.

“Do you approve of the schematics?”

Excitedly he replied, “Affirmative!”

Widely grinning you led the men back upstairs and helped Jack carry him up to the office in your apartment where you began to remove his casings and to his delight Loki set up a chess game on a tablet for the pair to play while you began to assemble the parts you had already forged for his skeleton. Here with those you had lost and the one you so painfully hoped would remain part of your tattered family your mind wandered back to your precious box. More trapped than you had been for all these years. Finally soon she could finally be free again, she had reborn hope and again her song began to grow dreaming of what was to come when she could take flight again. It was a word she thought she would say again. “Home.”


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ok, i noticed i had skipped posting the actual chapter 8, so i've added that along with this one. Sorry for the mixup, hope you like the new chapters :D

Openly staring the Prince found himself drawing an equally as adoring gaze from your father at the clearly swooning Prince between another round of chess a more focused double of him was handling K9’s choice in moves. In his every stolen chance to take in your focused furrowed brow and strip of curled bangs laying across your face just a fraction of an inch from being in a troubling location as the neck of your baggy t shirt slid over once again exposing your other shoulder once again in your securing another layer of tightening wires and cables around the inner components around a joint in the new ankle on K9’s new front left paw. Years you had been detailing this design and had all the working components together, merely leaving the basic inner details to match the breed now having been chosen and accepted by the one in question.

A great list of upgrades had been made and no doubt it would be a stunning moment for him to ‘wake up’ in his new body. Breaking in a pause when K9 was watching Loki watch you instead of making his move you said, “K9, after this match would you be against copying your memory banks into a duplicate drive I can use to covert to your new software? It is a good deal faster and I want to run a full diagnostic on it to ensure nothing will be lost in the conversion.”

K9, “Affirmative.” Looking down again to avoid being caught staring making your father bite his lip to keep from laughing Loki chose his piece and K9 promptly said, “Bishop to E5, Check Mate.”

In your soft giggle Loki looked at the board and said, “Huh, I’m usually better at this.”

K9, “Perhaps if you were to adjust your focal angle approximately 48 degrees it might be more beneficial to your focus.”

Loki’s eyes narrowed for a moment and your father chuckled turning to help you bring over he proper cables to hook into the open panel on the robot’s side while Loki’s double set up the board again through the original Prince asking, “Another game or do you require focus?”

K9, “I am able to duplicate my memory banks and face twelve of you in chess concurrently with victory outright.” Again you giggled in Loki’s challenging gaze at the robot.

Shifting on his seat he doubled down his focus and your father went back to helping you do minor tests on the components you had added along with minor reflex checks you would repeat when he was fully linked. Carefully around the feet you began to add the armored skin panels topped with patches of fake fur like sensors. Every inch bringing the Australian Shepard with blue merle coat and pale blue eyes to match into creation. Just like your otters it would be a more realistic design with infinite increases in capabilities for the poor dog you had stupidly missed the location of just a few floors below your feet for so long.

Telepathically your father asked you, _“Is it common for the Prince to openly stare at you?”_

_“On occasion.”_ You replied with a hint of a smirk then opened the top of the skull to draw out the brain for the new body that K9 swiveled to take a look at for himself then turned to the game again._ “Why? Admiring his eyes again?”_

_“They do shine a great deal brighter in that loving stare he gives you.”_ Your eyes met and he smirked at you, “_No man stares at a woman like that unless he’s neck deep in adoration. Love looks good on him, and surely he will be devoted to you.”_

_“From what I know of Asgardians, not counting Thor, they are quite loyal to their partners, still-,”_

_“He’d be a fool to turn you down. Be a loss he’d never survive.”_

You looked him over then glanced at the Prince now entirely focused on the match making you smirk at his focused forehead wrinkles in the smoothing of his knuckles across his lips. It didn’t take long however for the match to be over and the duplicate drive to be copied and converted for K9 to watch you in a turn testing the new brain that merely needed only a few adjustments before you would be able to secure it to the components inside. Looking it over he asked, “Is the component prepared for my final binding and transfers?”

With a nod you brought over the chords and watched as he prepped to be switched over to his new body. Initial transfer to a final few tweaks while his brain issued the checks granting you enough time to add the final stretched of fur panels over his face complete with lips and the shifting ears. The closed lids over his eyes gave a slight whir in the mental link as K9 powered on expecting to see right away only for them to suddenly snap open allowing him to adjust the pupils of his eyes as you said, “Hello,”

“Hello Bluejay.” His jaws moved slightly along with his voice sounding.

“Starting at the top we will work our way down, first eyes, a full spectrum of colors compared to your former thermal visual. Along with thermal, xray, uv and night vision settings complete with audio and visual recording settings. Also you can take snapshots that can be printed on negatives you can print out later when needed. Complete with projector as well.”

Inside his head you could hear the soft whir of his checking each as you listed it, reaching out you brushed your fingers along the fur on his cheek, “Each strand contains sensors to help with your atmospheric system complete with a full database of toxins, venoms and the like, fully water proof and fireproof. That system links with your tongue able to discern all the same substances you were able to before from both sniffing and using the tiny sensory on your tongue. Secured into your jaws are a row of serrated blades for cutting rope and the like with bite capabilities to tear through a foot of solid steel easily.”

Lowering your hand his head shifted downwards as you raised his foot, guiding him through a rotation of his new limb, “Fully flexing legs with shock absorption so you could fall form the empire state building and receive minimal damage, please do not test that. Each of your toes has a different tool attached complete with tiny grippers and shovel feature if needed. Now, the rest of the tools you can read through on the list of components in your files and we can give you a mobility check. Up for it?”

“Affirmative.”

With a grin you raised him from the securing harness to set him down on all fours onto the ground making him look at the ground he lowered his head to sniff the ground making you smirk in his listing the substances you use to clean the floor and hints of scents that had been carried in from the rest of the house. Looking up at you when you stepped away you said, “Did you want to try squatting?”

Looking down again tilting his head at his body he awkwardly lowered each of his hips and shoulders in a semi squat he rose from then lowered into again. Each leg was lifted and in a small circle around you he walked and you grinned in his full body learning wiggles complete with tail and ear wiggles. All at once in a chuckle the dog sprung up into a playful trot around you and you said, “Self lubricating joints and capabilities to reach high speeds near 60 mph, please do not try to reach or hold that speed it would damage your joints greatly quickening their need for repair. Though nice steady jog should have you trotting for decades to come.”

A curious pause at your side his head turned and he strolled over to the stairs at the base of which he tilted his head peering upwards then raised a foot onto the first step and then began to climb laughing again. “Stairs!” five steps later in your father’s laugh he said, “I have bested you!” Even Loki, not knowing the dog that well had to chuckle seeing him race up and down the steps and bound around the apartment with rolls across his back in between before returning to you again weaving between your legs and sitting at your feet with tail still wagging.

“I take it you are pleased with your upgrades?”

“Affirmative!” making you giggle again.

A chime of the panel on the wall had Loki looking as you did to find Thor having arrived making your father ask, “I’m guessing that tall drink of water is your brother?”

Loki glanced at him saying, “Yes, Thor.” Looking at you he said, “Sorry,”

You shook your head, “Not at all, you go on ahead, now that he’s all set up I can help Dad with his Vortex Manipulator. Should take some time, probably till breakfast.”

Loki in more of an argumentative plea than a question asked, “So long?”

“Don’t you worry about me.”

“You require rest. I will be making certain you get to sleep.”

“Fine then.” Making Loki smirk and step away. Content that he would still be close to you again. No longer worried about long stretches of nights alone, not anymore. The night was not something to fear, but to embrace.

Following him K9 asked, “Where are you going?”

Loki answered, “My brother is visiting my apartment next door. Would you like to come?”

K9 joined him to the door, “Affirmative. I will be a good dog.” Making you giggle seeing him circling Loki once in the hall until the door shut between you.

Your father, “Ooh, he’ll be making sure you get to bed. Where do I sign up for that service?”

You rolled your eyes saying, “I haven’t the foggiest.” Joining him up your steps to head up through the greenhouse on the top floor to get to his parked ship above it.

“So, now I do have to tell you, since we’re alone. I got a message from the Council on Gallifrey,”

“This is always good,”

“They saw that I was headed to see you and sent along a message. Apparently there’s some kerfuffle brewing in 1943.”

“No doubt from Steve Rogers.”

With a grin he asked, “Stevie boy? What could he be doing there?”

“Nothing good. Already he’s changed a substantial chunk of SHIELD’s history. Taken another man’s wife, erasing babies. Now those barking pens won’t be made.”

In a scoff he followed you up the final flight of stairs to help you tug down the ladder leading up to the rooftop under his opening hatch on his ship. “I loved those pens.”

“So do thousands of people, who will now never get them until I fix this.”

“Strangely enough, they said to wait on interacting.”

“Probably because he’s luring angels to him.”

“Oh I hate those damn things.”

At the top of the ladder you reached up grabbing onto the landing in the ship to lift yourself up into the ship to turn and help him up after. “You get no argument from me.” When he was up you turned to head for the panel housing his vortex manipulator, “No doubt he’ll lure a great manner of Reapers too if he keeps it up. And of course I’ll have to swoop in and save the day, and Brooklyn. Again.”

“No doubt this Prince Charming of yours would love to be there to help you out. I take it you haven’t asked him to be your companion yet?” The wiggle of his brows made you smirk and drop your gaze to the exposed components again.

“No. I doubt he understands us supposed Frey. I’ve only read three trips to interact with Asgard and all barely over an hour I doubt they understand what we do.”

“No doubt he will surely love exploring that subject immensely. And you’ll enjoying exploring him too.” Making you giggle again in his plotting chuckles.

**

Across the hall Loki allowed K9 inside his apartment first and waited for Thor in his trot up to his door and in the knock following he opened the door again. A grin eased across Loki’s lips even in the slight twinge at being taken from your company again only to have his brow inch up at Thor’s open mouthed grin, “You have purchased a pet!”

Curiously Thor approached K9, who stared up at him with equal curiosity testing the tilt of one of his ears for different features, and crouched while Loki said, “This is K9, he is Miss Pear’s.”

Thor turned asking, “Why did we not see him in our last visit? We could have taken him to the park.” Turning again he asked with a grin at the tilt of K9’s head, “Would you like to go to the park, tons of other dogs at the park. You could run and play for hours.”

K9 answered parting the blonde’s lips again, “Negative. I do not require socialization with my biological counterparts.”

Thor, “You can speak! Oh,” he shifted on his feet to look up at Loki, “He’s a robot. Like the otters. That is very clever, even Tony has not considered it merely bans all pets in labeling them as tedious.” Standing up he said, “Is he like a normal dog or does he mainly handle tasks like the otters?”

Loki, “I wouldn’t know, Miss Pear only completed his physical upgrade from a metal rolling form this morning.”

Thor glanced down at K9 asking, “So do you have toys or a special bed at least?”

K9, “Negative. My physical components did not allow for such necessities.”

Thor, “So you need them then?” He grinned turning to Loki, “Well then Brother, let us purchase the required necessities for your canine companion.”

K9 stared up at the pair of them while Thor hurried Loki to change and collect his keys, phone and wallet, at the door Thor paused seeing K9 paused at the door only to grin and say, “Come K9, there are stores welcoming to canine companions within their doors.” Eagerly the dog trotted through the door joining the brothers for the stroll down to the garage where Thor smirked seeing the jaguar Loki unlocked and allowed K9 to hop up into the back seat and settled in after. Turned around Thor reached out to secure a seatbelt around K9 saying, “Safety First my friend.”

Turned around Thor closed the door and buckled up himself as Loki started the car in the rising of the garage door he drove up the ramp to and out of onto the street. Thor gave the directions and Loki asked, “How are you faring Brother?”

Thor, “Better than last week. Peter is back from his school again tomorrow and has agreed to join me for a film.”

Loki, “That is good. I take it the others are still keeping to their circles?”

Thor, “Oddly enough Vision has tasked himself with artificial organs, something Miss Pear had stated in their meeting at event before last has sparked the interest in him.”

Loki, “Perhaps merely a mention of her otters or creations then. Her feats are quite inspiring in such a short time, and all so silently compared to Stark.”

“True, even our own scientists do not boast their lives so fervently.”

.

Once at the pet store Loki parked and excitedly K9 popped out and between the brothers glancing up at everything to take it all in and once inside the main doors in seeing the other dogs on leashes Thor lifted K9 into a cart he sat down in. Eagerly Loki pushed the cart along while Thor led the way to the collars first. Option after option was presented and with a grin the brothers gathering up what K9 had chosen into the cart around him. Though at the beds while K9 pressed his paw into several of the options Thor’s hand smoothed over his lips, “Perhaps it is best we go to a children’s store for a proper bed. None of these are adequate.”

A little boy walked up and K9 peered down at him and allowed the small hand to stroke his face as the boy said, “Hello Puppy.”

To which K9 blinked and replied, “Hello child.”

In a loud gasp the boy hurried off, “Mommy! There’s a talking dog!”

Lowly Loki said, “K9, perhaps it is best you not speak, if you wouldn’t mind, to not startle the mortals?”

With a nod K9 replied, “Affirmative. I shall add to my database on sounds from biological counterparts bearing my resemblance as a disguise.” A soft whirring sounded then he glanced up at Loki saying, “Bark, bark,” Loki’s lips parted to correct him before an awkward whining set of noises came from him resembling a video he had seen of a ‘talking dog’ on the internet before making him smirk and Thor chuckle.

Thor, “Such a clever companion,” he said stroking the top of K9’s head and leading the way onto more items.

The appearance of a group of teens outside at the car had Loki’s brows inching up for a moment asking, “Aww, Thor, what’s your dog’s name?” Lowering to pet K9.

To which Thor replied, “He is my brother’s.”

Loki’s lips parted only to shut at the pictures being taken of K9 with his head cocked and one ear flopped over when they then snapped a full picture of Loki and K9 beside him, “I knew it! I knew you were close to proposing! Living together, out all the time and now you have a fur baby! Oh, why are the good ones always snapped up so quickly.”

When they had darted off spreading the images and messages across social media Thor clapped his hand on Loki’s back, “See Brother, the people are loving you already.”

Loki wet his lips then said, “Please tell me fur baby does not have the meaning I believe it does.”

Thor chuckled, “I do believe it does.”

Loki, “They stated I was close to proposing-,”

Thor, “Oh pay no mind to that. Let them gossip. Your reputation is changing for the better. All by forbidden fruit methods.”

Loki, “I hate to ask.”

Thor smirked at him, “They can’t have you now they want you.”

.

Hours later with a full trunk of supplies brought back to the apartment building after Thor’s having smooth talked allowing K9 inside as his emotional support companion and with the box opened the pair of fainting couches the pair constructed were settled where K9 had asked in his and your apartment. Atop his couch he sprawled out as Thor chose the first of the films they had chosen seemingly dog based starting with the eldest first. Though Old Yeller did little to ease the subject as when sight of a gun being grabbed K9’s head rose and Loki sent a double to shut off the screen while the Prince stood up guiding his teary eyed brother to the kitchen, “Time for lunch!”

After that each choice in the pile was looked up by a double of his in Thor’s distraction and the ones with sad endings were subtly set aside. A call by dinner time had Thor returning to the tower as Peter was being fetched from the station and with a request a few ties a week he was welcomed to come and run with Loki and K9 on the treadmills in the gym here to help motivate him with company on a few of his workouts. Crossing the hall with a full order of food on the way Loki curiously made his way following K9 through your apartment heading up to the greenhouse.

Curiously he peered up at the pulled down ladder and open latch in the roof he climbed up to and reached up feeling a shielded panel that snapped back exposing echoes of voices. Peering up into the hull of the ship his lips parted taking in the advanced ship before his eyes snapped to your father in your securing the panel again, “Just give it a night to recalibrate I imagine.”

Grinning madly at Loki smiling seeing you cast in colored strips of light your father said, “Come on up Loki, I’ll give you the full tour.”

Wit a nod he lifted himself up into the ship and the panel closed behind his feet, “Impressive.” He said looking over it, “Where did you get it?”

Proudly he said, “Stole it,” turning Loki’s head.

With a grin you said, “Dad’s a retired Time Agent.”

“Retired Time Agent, Thief, Con Man, Lover of all. That’s me.”

With a nod Loki glanced at you in his being passed to start the tour in the back and you said, “Oh trust me, next to me you are a boy scout, Prince Loki.”

Jack, “Oh now, I’ve turned it around, a bit. Stole this over a century back escaping an depleted base the Doctor left me on.”

Loki, “The same Doctor who you named as her Godfather?”

Jack chuckled, “Well, physically the same Doctor, but it was before all that, long before, and he thought I was dead at the time so I couldn’t be mad at him long.”

Loki nodded, “Ah,” his attention turned to all the details of the ship he was showed before asking, “So, what do you do now?”

Jack’s head tilted a moment, “Exploring mostly. See we got tangled in this chance to stop the Time War, huge battle to end all battles, Daleks, Cybermen, Weeping Angels, Time Lords, among other races and we broke onto Gallifrey to help the Doctor out and ended up guiding the whole planet through a wormhole and we got spat out here. They rewarded Pumpkin by giving her full ownership of the Tardis we had taken and allowed her visitations with her, Mother, if she turned herself in for her crimes in the old timeline or, well, they would have taken Jaqi’s regenerations away for having essentially broken time. Though, back there the planet is gone anyways, so it really doesn’t matter that we got sucked into a new dimension we didn’t exist in before. Only, to keep the peace we have to make sure the creatures that fell with us here don’t run amok in this timeline.”

Loki, “Indentured servitude?” He asked locking is eyes on you.

To which you replied, “More like probation. Being grounded I did manage to calm them down a great deal being so silent and laying the groundwork for steady things to come.”

Jack nodded, “Why there’s not a corner of this universe not having heard echoes of the Bluejay.”

Loki, “Why Bluejay, I am curious.”

In a giggle you heard your father answer for you, “When we first landed here the boys in blue kept calling her songbird. Then we heard word she was to be a full fledged, albeit grounded, Time Lord. After having the Master, then Mistress, for a parent there were assumptions for how she would unfold through time.”

“Blue jays are my favorite of the songbirds. And I keep my Tardis blue. Couldn’t think of anything else at the time.”

Jack, “All in all, Missy is behaving, my reports of the outer galaxies are all well received so we’re all turning over a new leaf. No doubt she’ll be free and clear once we fix what Steveie boy’s set off.”

Loki, “Set off, he is stirring up trouble?”

With a smirk you opened the interface for him to look through and you answered, “There is a reason I am opposed to idiots traveling through time for selfish reasons.”

Loki, “How would we fix it?”

His eyes met yours again and you replied, “First I have to wait on my ship to be ready then we have to have clearance from the Council to go in and interfere. Normally I can go as I please, though something this big requires special care if Reapers get involved.”

Jack at the confusion on his face answered, “Reapers are sort of the cleanup crew for time travelers who scuff thing up. Change too big a detail uncarefully and they come to clean things up.”

“Killing everyone and everything inside the torn fragment of time and the city is leveled and erased from memory.”

Loki, “Does that happen often?”

Your head tilted for a moment, “Five times.”

Loki, “How many times have you been asked to step in to resolve it?”

“Five times.”

Jack, “Somewhat of an expert. Somehow after other Time Lords have been crossing the path of the Reapers before she’s the only one to have a sort of rapport with them.”

“I think it has to do with the fact of me being born in Mum’s Tardis. So close to a time stream source, sort of rubs off like a scent.”

Jack with a grin said, “On that note, I say we head down to start on dinner.”

Loki, “Oh, I ordered a meal. Should be arriving here in a bit.”

Jack smoothed his hands together, “Marvelous. Man with a plan, love it.”

**

“Goduncle George…” Muttering to himself Tony sat in his office gathering more and more sheets of paper and pictures taped up to a board with details and altered moments he swore went differently. It was growing more and more obvious that details in the past were changing and present steadily shifting with it along with an astonishing polio outbreak in the south eastern states. Even to his notice after Vision had brought up his own noticed changes to topics he had researched before since your mention of the tear in time.

Smoothing his hands over his face he grumbled after seeing a picture of you and Loki with your supposed father in the middle of a dance club back in the 40’s, one of dozens of pictures now cropping up on a growing past interwoven around images of your face scattered between those with Loki as well. Though with a shape changing skill he might have been in more, still it troubled the man as to how it was possible. “What is going on?”

Dr Strange entered with another cup of tea for him with one of his own, “It seems Miss Pear was right after all.”

Tony groaned and Bruce asked, “One thing to ask now, how do we fix this?”

Tony, “Well we can’t just go back again! Nearly killed us the first time around.”

Dr Strange, “Doubt Natasha would consider it again even if we asked.”

Tony, “Why would we send her?”

Bruce, “Because she’s not an idiot.”

Dr Strange, “And she’s able to disarm Steve easily. Could get him back much easier than we could.”

Tony huffed, “How did Miss Pear even notice this? And how the hell is she and Loki in all these pictures?”

Bruce shrugged, “Maybe Loki has a ship stashed away able to travel through time.”

Tony rolled his eyes, “Doubtful. Why would he take her along?”

Dr Strange, “Well to be perfectly frank, she’s got a face I’d not mind being trapped in a box with for however long it takes to travel from snapshot to snapshot.” Making Tony roll his eyes and Bruce nod in agreement subtly behind Tony’s back.


	11. Welcome to the Past - Swan Club to Sweden

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Making up a few names for locations near the end of this so don't quote me on it. Hope you like it all the same. :D

Changed and tucked in ready for bed your father smirked heading up to his usual room glad to have a full bed and your company again past video chats and saved recorded messages sent through your systems to keep up to date on each other’s adventures and progress. While you stood in your kitchen setting the wine glasses on the drying rack after rinsing them off. Behind you Loki stood looking you over adoringly only to hear K9 ask, “Am I allowed to sleep in your room or will you be requiring privacy, Bluejay?”

Smirking at the wall while Loki’s cheeks heated up in a growing blush you answered in a giggle, “No privacy necessary. Sleep where you wish K9.”

In a turn he said excitedly, “I shall meet you upstairs then.” Trotting to the stairs he bounded up like a giant bunny to his fainting couch at the foot of your bed.

Loki wet his lips and when you turned to peer up at him said, “I should let you get off to sleep.” Then turned to head to the door.

“If you like.”

Pausing for a moment he said, “See you at breakfast, Miss Pear.”

“See you at breakfast, Prince Loki.” The title made him flinch against his urge to race back to you. He would head off to bed alone aching to be near you, he would wait till breakfast and lie there smirking to himself as he scrolled through the social feeds on his phone packed with rumors and edited pictures of the pair of you and K9. A future he never expected to find on this planet unfolded in front of him all the brighter for the fuller look of your history. Now he could see why his mother had been instantly taken with you, instantly supportive.

In his social wandering you did some of your own in changing to a pair of shorts. Climbed onto your bed you set the phone aside and grinned at K9 contently sprawled across his couch settling into his first information update and full system check for the night resembling twitches and night runs like a real dog. As you closed your eyes you pulled up the covers and tried to keep your dreams from wondering what nightmare Steve had unleashed knowing what you had to do before to calm the Reapers, and what unthinkable things you would have to do again. For the innocence your title gave off it held a weight darker than if it had been a crow, often dubbed by others a Reaper in your own right tasked to determining who lives and dies to save the universes and cease the rage of the healing creatures. If Tony didn’t hate you now he surely might later when he realizes what you had to do, with very good reason.

.

Classic and sleek a black dress coated in red roses in a 40’s style synched top crossing your bust for the straps and a bell like layered skirt you dressed adding black platform heels a bit more pinupish than close to the era but kept you close to Loki’s height. Half pulled back your curls slicked easing your simple makeup on to finish the look. With purse in hand you ensured you had your trusty green gnome statues and your sonic screw driver and pen alongside your mini blaster gifted from your father.

Into the hall on the second floor you smirked seeing your father in his service uniform and his widening smile saying, “There you are Pumpkin. Fabulous as always.”

“I could say the same about you. Dare say you might be the talk of the town by morning. Your blues always weaken the knees.” You said looping your arm in his offered elbow making his grin spread matching yours.

“Can’t wait to see the guys again. And to see off Timothy, great guy.”

“Amazing arms.” Making your father chuckle deeply in your trot down the steps.

Breakfast was over and in a black suit Loki was smoothing his hand over his tie peering up at the pair of you in stating, “K9 was asking if he might be able to attend.”

“For what I know usually we don’t bring pets to funerals unless they are the deceased’s.”

Jack patted K9’s head, “It’s ok little guy, we’ll take you out after, alright?”

K9 nodded, “Affirmative. There was a database I was meaning to delve into further. This shall allow me ample time.” Eagerly he turned to hurry back to your study making you smirk and see Loki join you towards the door.

.

A short drive later and the jaguar parked and you joined the countless others in entering into the church. Along the way giving a weak grin to Pietro. Who patted the arm of the other surviving member of the platoon next to him starting up a ripple of grins and subtle nods on your way to approach Timothy’s children who stared at you and Jack in awe.

“You look-,” sharply his son let out a breath, “Just like in the pictures. Like your Mom and Dad.”

Jack shook his hand, “Your father was a great man.”

Timothy, “He would have been glad to see you’ve come. He had such great impossible stories about your parents,”

“I imagine he has. We’ve heard more than a few of our own about him.”

At your side Loki smoothed his hand more around your side in your step away to claim your seat, feeling your body tensing in the gentle lies. Their parents would know the truth but to their children you were no more than stories, impossible stories with living faces to remind them of you.

Bucky came next to fill his seats with Sam, Rhodey, Tony and Thor here to support the fallen soldier. Silently Natasha took his side after slipping past a group of others peering around only to pause for a moment locking eyes with your father who Bucky’s face dropped in seeing once he had sat down. Thor’s eyes scanned over from his brother to the pictures propped up, including one with you in a uniform in the middle of a city you had helped them dismantle a buried bomb, making the blonde look at you again. Loki’s gaze caught his eye and a smirk ghosted across the blonde’s lips hearing through their mental exchange just what race you were while his fingers tangled with yours on your lap.

The service began and stories flowed out ending with his son repeating, “One lesson that always stuck with me, was my father saying, ‘Fear is a four letter word that I refuse to cower to.’ Now this was coming from a man who shrieked at the sight of a massive beetle crawling over his hand helping me to build a go cart when I was a kid.” Making the crowd chuckle, “He was absolutely terrified, just like so many boys when they signed up, but one madwoman,” he let out a weak chuckle stealing a glance at you making the men holding your hands grip them tighter. “With a blue box, who saved a town from a buried bomb. She was terrified but she kept on, and then dropped and entire platoon in the middle of a bog,” making you chuckle to yourself and glance away in a sniffle muffled by laughs in the crowd.

.

Miles of green with statues mingled between. On foot behind the casket you filed around the grave holding your open purse for you and your father to press your thumbs to the base of the gnome statues that zapped themselves onto headstones in the distance across from angel statues. Curiously Loki whispered, “Sensors?”

Lowly you whispered back, “Guards against Weeping Angels.”

Quietly you stood through the rest of the burial and smirked accepting the invitation of Pietro to meet with the other soldiers for lunch. Bucky however crossed your path with arms crossed saying, “Alright, cough it up. How the hell are you still alive?”

Smirking to himself your father paused and asked with a splitting grin, “I’m sorry, have we met? I’m certain I’d remember a handsome face like yours.”

Bucky’s brows twitched together in Sam’s quick glance away at your downward glance and smirk in a joint way to keep from giggling, “Can it. I know you got the Super Serum now who gave it to you?”

In Bucky’s step closer Jack’s smile turned devilish and he purred back, “Super Serum, is that a euphemism for something or are you hitting on me?”

At that Sam covered his mouth in his full chortle making Bucky’s poking Jack’s chest only adding a challenging glint to his eye, “I’m not falling for that! I know your game Jack Harkness! You can bat your eyes all you like but you won’t fool me!”

Jack, “Junior.”

Bucky, “What?”

“Jack Harkness Junior.” He replied cockily and Bucky’s brows tightened again, “I’m not usually one for frowns but with eyes like that-,”

Bucky, “Not gonna work. Didn’t work in the 40’s not gonna work now, Buddy.”

Jack chuckled, “Buddy, I can work with Buddy.” Flashing him a wink.

Bucky, “Listen, I know it’s you, and I know for a fact if my friend Steve was here he could help me out in uncovering your lie!”

Jack, “And where is this Steve fellow, sounds mighty handsome.”

At that you giggled to yourself tapping your forehead to Loki’s arm in a glance away while Tony looked over your father running his face through his database once again. Bucky, “He’s back in the 40’s.”

Jack smiled wider, “A time traveler you say? Gee how is that possible?”

Bucky, “Oh can it! Your, daughter, SHE knows about time travel!” He said pointing at you then back to Jack, “And you haven’t aged a day! Now who are you working with and why did you send her here?”

In the momentary narrowing of his eyes Jack replied, “Be very careful what you say about Jaqi. I’m not working for anybody, I have no clue what any super serum is, and I don’t appreciate what you are insinuating.” In a pat on Bucky’s shoulder he stated with a widening smile, “Now, Jaqi, Loki and I were invited out to lunch.”

Bucky, “So was I.”

Jack fired back, “Then perhaps your manners will improve over lunch. Maybe bring out that dazzling smile of yours.” His hand folded around yours and with him you joined him on the walk to back to the car for the drive over.

.

Lounged back in your seat you relaxed at your table between visits from Bucky trying to catch Jack in a lie only to slink away allowing you to dip back into your stories with the men and their old days. Hours you kept the men company, though the eventual slip of Natasha into an empty seat had a hushed round of questioning for the man who looked so familiar from her escape from the people who had taken her and turned her into what she had become. It was just a stolen glimpse but his face was etched into her mind and she had to know who he was and why she could never find out who he was.

_‘Close your eyes. Just close your eyes. Just for a moment.’_ His voice lingering in her mind since returning from the past, hoping that she could go back to see who he was. How he gave her his coat and a bundle of food at a safe distance and backed away pointing her to safety. The only ally she knew as a child. The only one not wanting anything, acting simply out of kindness. You were now more the mystery to her as for how you were truly linked to his life, not truly caring if you were immortal like the Princes or not, merely wondering, why her?

.

A stolen glance at your phone had you smirking and Pietro across from you said, “I know that look.”

In a giggle you smiled and stole a glance at your father, saying, “Only one way to truly send Timmy off in style.”

Jack’s smile doubled, “Yes, I am in. Tonight, perfect timing.”

In your glance at Loki his eyes looked over your face at you asked, “Up for Swan Club tonight?”

Geoff across from you said, “Oh I haven’t heard that in ages.”

Pietro flashed Loki a wink, “Don’t forget, young Prince, blue suit.”

Loki chuckled and gave a nod, “How could I forget.” Lifting his glass for a sip as you took one from yours.

Natasha looked Jack over asking, “Swan Club?”

Jack smirked replying, “This little hole in the wall out in Italy.”

Natasha looked to you and Loki, “You’re going to Italy tonight? Isn’t that a 9 hour flight?”

Pietro answered for you, “Oh, just a figure of speech.” Her eyes shifted to him, “See, a bomb fell on it back in 44.”

Natasha, “Oh, so it’s like a, surrogate, thing? Pick a new ‘Swan Club’ to call your own?”

Jack, “Exactly. Hard to relive the old days when the old days are, well,”

Geoff, “Old,” he added with a chuckle the others joined in on.

Pietro said after a glance at his watch, “Best get a move on. Oh, Pears, save me a dance.”

You and Jack replied, “Always do.”

While you slid to get up Loki slid with you and watched Jack slip Natasha his number saying lowly, “If you want to talk later, here’s my number.”

In a glance at the number she held it up saying, “This isn’t a phone number.”

Jack turned with a grin, “How do you know if you don’t give it a try?” Flashing her a wink making her head tilt a moment in his turn away and her gaze dropping back to the number.

.

“Blue suit.” Curiously Loki looked over his suit and tried to hold back his anxiousness at having to swing dance. He had been using your databases to try and learn but the flailing bouncing dance seemed to put him ill at ease. Slow dances, structured, that was what he was taught on Asgard, not bounding nonsensical mortal dances. It was terrifying to think he might make a fool of himself in front of you, he was a Prince, not a clown and he hated to think he might be the object of your mockery. Decades he suffered through the mockery of those on Asgard he hated to think you might be added to that list.

“Don’t you look snazzy.” Turned around Loki looked you up and down, clad all in a mint flowing dress to the knee, the straps wrapping across you chest and torso cinching it around your figure. With a hand propped on your hip in your lean against the door frame splitting a grin across his lips, “Don’t forget the hat.”

Playfully he purred back turning to grab it, “How could I forget?” Hat in hand he turned to join you asking as you straightened up in your more comfortable dancing shoes for the era, “This is fun for you? Swan Club, so soon after losing your friend?”

The concern flooding into his eyes making you reach up to brush a strip of his hair behind his ear deepening his gaze, “Over a thousand years I have seen these people come and go, but they never leave, not truly. You catch glimpses when you least expect it.” In adjusting his tie you asked, “Are you ready to dance?”

“I have studied, though I doubt I will be any good.”

Softly you giggled and straightened up claiming his hand, “Prince Loki, it’s dancing in wartime, no one is any good.”

All the way down again you went into the bunker, finding your Tardis there already humming and ready to go. Widely your father was smiling in his trot down to join you in a yellow suit, “You are going to love this.”

Hopping through the door you smiled seeing K9 trotting through the Tardis door at your side leading the way to the control panel with Loki after you as Jack closed the door. A simple flick of a switch and a few twisted knobs later you stepped to the round scrolling navigator saying, “Come on Precious, let’s fly.” Rolling around the dial flashed blue and white while Gallifreyan symbols flashed on the screen luring Loki closer.

To your side he strode and in the shimmering central column of the flight your father joined you saying, “I am so glad you figured out how to fly without that gasping whirring sound Doctor’s Tardis makes.”

“Well, he learned how to fly it by trial and error. I learned from the best.”

Not a minute later while you explained it all to Loki the column stilled and with his taking your hand Jack led the way. Out from a back alley you were parked in and after closing the door the Tardis shrunk to a circular pendant on an unbreakable chain that looped around your neck painted with a bluejay on it.

Down the street you strode following the sound of music while Loki took in the city feeling a grin ease across his face. All around you groups of soldiers flocked around you calling out for you and Jack widening your grins greeting them in return. Entering the stone coated building through the doors opened for you by a guard smirking at you and your father as if unable to choose who he likes more who then looked over Loki approvingly until he saw his hand laced in yours. K9 remained inside the Tardis readying for the stops you said you were making after.

The music got louder as you went down the zig zagging steps through lingering soldiers and girls all the way to a packed table that called out your names in arriving. Each and every man, now back in their stunning primes in the pictures from earlier including Timothy, who claimed your hand to kiss your knuckles. “There you are Songbird, knew you wouldn’t miss Geoff’s birthday.”

“I would never.”

Jack claimed a spot eyeing the poker game, “I’m in next hand,” pulling a folded set of bills from his pocket.

Glancing between you and Loki Pietro asked, “Who’d you bring Songbird? Didn’t know you had a fella.”

Resting your hand on his bicep you said, “This is Prince Loki.”

Introductions bled into drinks being ordered and barely five minutes in Geoff stood and called you to the floor with an offered hand. Settled back in his seat Loki’s eyes remained fixed on you in your dance that bled into five more while the men chatted around him asking about his own travels. More and more he could see the men affected by your charms, the genetic allure you must have inherited from your father so easily allowing you to charm those around. Tightly his chest clenched in nursing his drink when his gaze dropped to the table at another slid of your partner’s hand across the small of your back guiding you through another giggle shared hop to start a joint step away, arms sliding together to start another spin to come together again. Sharply he inhaled and raised his glass for another sip holding back the shift of his eyes while his jealous rage stirred at the heavying of your natural scent in your bubbling joy.

For a moment his eyes shut only to open at the hands sliding across his chest from behind and by his ear he heard you saying, “Come on Prince Loki,” at the slide of your hands up hooking your fingers under his jacket you eased back signaling his arms to slide out. Leaving it on the back of the chair he stood at your setting his hat on the table in taking his hand, not twenty feet later his eyes turned from the crowds around you to you in the loosening of his tie and undoing of his top shirt button locking his eyes on yours.

“I do not wish to make you look foolish.”

His gaze locked on you stirring his grin a bit wider in your spreading smirk at the start of the next song after a moment’s pause for the band to catch their breath you said, “What good is a King if he can’t play the fool from time to time? Come be foolish, just a half step past reason.”

“This is your idea of reasoning me into this?”

“Ooh, no, Prince Loki. This is me corrupting you.” Breathily he laughed and your hand rose to give him a gentle nudge forcing him back only to tug him closer starting his timid first try at the awkward dance.

A few wobbling steps in and he said, “I am-,”

“Staring at your feet,” a slide of your fingers on his chin made him smirk to keep his idiotic grin from spreading in your move closer allowing you to say, “Everyone’s three sheets to the wind and by the time you see them again they won’t care about your dancing. They, however, will care if I’m not smiling.” In a stolen peck on his cheek you added, “Don’t let Thor have all the fun.”

Surely but steadily he melted into the awkward dance and the next three until you needed a rest and claimed a refill of your drinks. Even leaning against his arm to help him through the made up card game they had made up the flirtations never ceased and he had to force his focus on the games instead of trying to fight off the male suitors, who outnumbered the women five to one, all in uniform surely intending frivolity and nothing more. Yet even meaningless flirtations and no right to tell them off or throw a dagger at someone’s chest left him feeling more helpless than ever. A distant bell however had the music halting and drinks downed with each and every guy stealing a kiss on your knuckles on their paths to the door.

In a glance at Loki you grabbed his hat in his saying goodbye to Timothy and Pietro after Geoff had turned to go. Jack stood pocketing his bills and said, “Best be off.”

Loki grabbed his coat with his other hand smoothing across your back asking, “What is that?”

“Call to stations.”

Loki, “Even from drinking? What-,”

Lowly Jack said at the base of the stairs by Loki’s ear, “This city’s being invaded. Germans are coming.” That made Loki’s hand tighten at your waist in the sudden race of his heart in the joint trot up the stairs starting the short trek back to the same back alley where you reached up putting on Loki’s hat to open the pendant laying against your chest suddenly shifting you inside the Tardis.

Weakly in a chuckle Loki turned peering at the doors and around the ship as your hand released his. Jack with a sigh slid his tie off his neck completely saying, “I don’t know about you, but I need a nap. What do you think, Hawaii for breakfast?”

Softly you giggled, “Sounds lovely. I’ll book the table.” After a peck on your cheek he said, “Try to get some sleep, Pumpkin.”

“I will.” Down the hall he went undoing his shirt with his coat draped over his forearm, turning your head you flashed Loki a grin asking, “Want to sleep?”

He shook his head wetting his lips hearing engines roaring overhead and sirens sounding muffling at the turn of a knob lighting up the central column again glowing brighter in a few swivels and flicked switches. At your side he asked, “Those men, are they, or rather, will they-,”

In a glance up at him you smirked saying, “You know that story about me dropping them in a bog?”

Instantly his grin split open, “Now? We’re going now?”

In a giggle you answered, “No, I am, not now, but younger me is going now.”

Loki, “Ah, all of them?”

“Most.” You answered with a hint of pain in your faked hopeful tone luring him to stroke your back pulling you into a timid hug you melted into urging his arms fully around you in a tight hold. Softly you whispered, “It never gets easier. The whole club will be gone in a month. Nearly spent all the days it’s open. Then I’ll have to find another club.”

When you pulled back Loki asked eyeing the panel, “Does it take long to fly to Hawaii?”

“Bout ten minutes.”

“Then where are we off to now?” at catching your eye again he added in a smirking purr, “Or should I ask, when?”

“I have a few stops I have to make. Small bits and bobs here and there before bed.”

Eagerly K9 came up to your sides widening Loki’s smirk at your blind shift of a knob and dip of your other hand to accept the leash K9 was holding in his mouth then stepped away. “1973, Sweden.”

With his hands sliding into his pockets he followed after you, “What happened in 1973?”

“I have to pay a parking ticket.” Chuckling at his place beside you he caught your eye halfway to the door as you said, “It’s not all adventures. Fair bit of monotony to catch up on.”

“I doubt monotony could be anything close to what this box could do with you at the helm.”

At the door your smirk grew and his jaw dropped when you opened the door seeing the stained glass towers on a floating station above a planet of trees and waterfalls, turning his head he caught your giggle saying, “1973, thousand circa Zun, Swendevnokricnarius planet in the Rafbuntorlus quadrant just past the Ring of Exploding Seas. Shortened to Sweden, one of the human outposts after they started to colonize out of their own galaxy.”

Lowly he chuckled closing the door behind you watching the Tardis shrink to be your necklace again and drew out a hand from his pocket to settle it on your back starting the walk away from the fountain you had parked at to enter the city. “What language do they speak?”

“Swedish. But no worries, the Tardis has a telepathic link to us and translates everything. Except Wingdings. There are five planets on the edge of Corvus Nova who speak in nothing but Wingdings. I can scrawl out the runes for chicken and chips though. I will never go hungry, though the symbol for bathroom is lost to me. No concept of gender at all, mostly corporeal beings who harness inanimate objects that devour food to release these colorful gases.”

Loki smiled at the exciting images and wide smile on your face in a twisting step closer to his side, “And the purpose of the gases?”

“Space whales use the planet to breed there.”

“Space whales.”

“Fantasia wasn’t all wrong. Not like the ones the Chitauri brought to New York, no, much more powerful. Live off of cosmic energy and sail through stars without harming them. Even saw one soar through a sun once.” You said peering up at him with a confirming nod making him chuckle and peer into your eyes adoringly.

“I suppose we shall have to make a list of things for you to share with me then. We can compare against a list of my own.”

“Ooh, I can just imagine what mischief you’ve gotten up to.”

“I doubt I could imagine what you have been up to.”

Another giggle later you replied, “Oh you couldn’t fathom the half of it.” Making him laugh again, tightening his grip in your step closer at the release of people out of teleport pad bubble popping up through the portal platform in the ground. Mixed races of people and aliens all passing with stolen glances at the pair of you and others on the way to their destinations.


	12. Chapter 12

Five stained glass buildings later you were leading the way for the Prince and your eyes caught onto an old symbol instantly making your mind start to crank out signals of clues on the once destroyed people you had ended in the old dimension now you had to face again. With his hand sliding across your back Loki avoided the path of a Jadoon quartet dragging off a bound prisoner. In front of you K9 led the way into another transport platform you turned around on in the back of the group of travelers in the coating of the platform with a bubble carrying you off to the matching platform through a wall of water dividing different sections of the planet, this one with water bound creatures roaming free without air filtering units needed to travel elsewhere.

Past that you landed on another platform held up by pointed stone pillars in a pyramid shape. When the bubble broke through a fine mist from the clouds of rainbows filtering from the shifting domes of colored glass protecting the floating jelly fish creatures with retracted spines similar to porcupines and tails like peacock feathers emitting whistles and pops on their path through the swinging portals crossing each doorway. From open rooms without a roof you passed to a petal topped hall with cobbled floors ranching down into a floating set of stairs bounding on the water shifting underneath it pooling through tiny holes powering water wheel fed lighting crystal towers.

Into a wine cellar looking room you flashed a grin to the collection of living trees glancing up from their crystal tablets behind a tall counter seeming to lower to a height you could see over, only after the floor began to lift in shifting rings forming steps. Out of the pocket on your dress you passed the tall tree in golden robes the crystal chip he slid into his tablet he then raised to your face level. Deeply you inhaled and blew a hot breath onto the fogging crystal that shimmered and cleared again sounding off with a cheerful chirp of tiny birds making the tree smirk and bow his head. The female beside him passed you a crystal rose bud topped jar with a seed inside of it you thanked her for then turned to guide the men out to the platform.

A pause outside a courtyard garden of upside down plants had Loki asking, “Would you like to go in?”

In a glance up at him you shook your head and pointed to the dangling pendant in the center, “That, should not be here.”

His eyes honed in on the pendant and K9 stated, “There is a message linked with the pendant Bluejay.”

“Yes, I can hear it.”

Loki looked at you, “Hear it?” After a moment he said, “What message? What does it say?”

“Grunt and roundabout.” His eyes narrowed in confusion, “Parasitic Cannibals jumbling time. Festering on planets. I killed them once and now I’ve got to kill them again.” you nodded your head, “Let’s go, I know where they’ll be.”

Loki, “Can I help?”

With a smirk you said, “Course you can. Those blue eyes of yours will come in handy.” Making him chuckle to himself following K9’s lead back to the fountain the Tardis folded around you again at the opening of your pendant.

.

Five turns of knobs and through space you went while K9 gathered up a supply of tools in a seemingly bottomless pouch while you pulled on the pair of jeans one of your otters brought you. A tug up over your head and your dress was carried off and traded for the swoop necked blue sweater and grey flannel vest you buttoned over your chest as Loki behind you tucked his own sweater into his jeans after having tied his boots on. His eyes lowering to your converse tapping from their unworn soles on your path to the main hall in a swoop of your hand looping your favorite scarf around your neck. Into your front pocket you eased the pouch into it and your screwdriver sheath into the pocket on your vest. Again he was at your side opposite K9 this time without his leash who wiggled his rear end in excitement along with his wagging tail at your landing.

“K9, you received confirmation of our reservation?”

K9 nodded, “Yes Bluejay. Four minutes ago.”

“Good. You’ll enjoy it.”

Loki rolled up his sleeves to his elbows asking, “What are we looking at?”

“Jaguars.” His brow inched up and you said, “And Lobsters sharing humanoid territories. Mind the tails.” Making him smirk and shift the fingers on his free hand feeling the dozens of weapons on him he was able to pull into his clutch at a moments notice. The door opened and into the jelly like building you strode guiding the momentarily wobbling Prince on the first few steps until he found his center and followed you through the color shifting halls. Seas of bodies moved past until you reached an inner circle of halls and said, “Deep breath, quick drop.”

Loki nodded and at once his foot sank into the floor as yours did and suddenly through the floor you three fell and landed in a lower rougher floor looking to be uncut salt in the cavernous low lit hall growing louder the farther into it you got following the crowds into a giant area like a coliseum that made your brows furrow seeing the lines of scared baby hippos and rhinos in the center grouping up away from the barking sharp toothed black eyed humanoids with slimy skin and tails. Down the steps you trotted saying, “Stab them in the elbows,” Loki glanced at you, “They won’t listen, they never do.”

Loki nodded, “Elbows, right,”

Glancing up at him you said, “Their lungs are there. They’ll flee back to the forests and we can round up these babies and return them home.”

Loki, “You mean to rescue-,”

“These were stolen from the past. We have to take them back to their parents or they rampage.”

Loki, “Then what do the creatures get? The ones I stab?” His smirk spread as yours did, “Why are you smirking?”

“Because we’re up to make some mischief.” Into your pocket you reached pulling out a squareness gun you fired off cutting a hole in the barrier allowing you to hop onto the dirt floor and to K9 the babies shifted away from the slimy creatures you and Loki rushed for the ten creatures scattering the Jaguar and Lobster creatures watching you dislocate their elbows and kick their knees back making them fall back and scurry off to glowing pads they threw and scrambled to.

Back to back in a circle you both panted looking around at the cowering creatures before you stated, “The market for Grunt and Roundabout stops now!”

Timidly a Jaguar crept closer to you drawing your eye who said, “Them-, they will return. What power do you have against them?”

In a flock the babies began to file into order and you replied, “I am the Bluejay. And I can control their darkness.” Around you the Tardis molded and K9 herded the babies inside before it snapped shut and you carried them off to their home, open plain near a watering hole they bellowed in rushing into back to their gathered furious parents returning their cries.

With the last one gone the door shut and off again you guided your ship off to the much more recent past into the 51st century as Loki watched the symbols flash across the screen asking, “Where are we going?”

“Library.” You answered making him duck to look at you under the screen.

“A Library?”

In a splitting smirk you answered, “Not A Library. The Library.” Making his brow inch up, “The Doctor went once. They have someone I need.”

“A librarian?”

Softly you giggled and in the landing you said, “Hold on here K9, back in two shakes. Might not take kindly to your software.”

K9, “Understood. I shall ready the specimen vortex.”

Again at your side Loki’s hand folded into yours and through the door you went and his mouth dropped seeing the endless library, “Every book ever written.” His eyes dropped to you, “Whole planet. Oh ya. We can pop by again if you like, just have to get the shadows out.”

“Shadows, right.” Making you giggle and guide him through the halls until you reached a circular room fed by twenty halls, each falling dark and in a circle you turned feeling Loki’s hand tighten around yours inching closer to you.

“Vashta Nerada, I know you’re here, I can hear you slithering about, and your stomach’s growling.” A toy soldier was drawn from your pocket pouch though Loki’s eyes were drawn to it seeing it was made of meat and coated in a type of skin you tossed into the shadows, “Come on, speak to me.”

The doll seemed to pop up at once and it’s head cocked to the side parting Loki’s lips when it said, “How convenient. Food has come to us once again.”

“We would barely be an appetizer, however, I have an offer for you. Leave this planet and I will promise you another forest, a living forest, with millions to feed on, to help you breed again.”

“You offer up millions to save yourself and a companion? How selfish.”

“I offer up millions to save billions on hundreds of planets those millions will cripple and poison. Your answer?”

Around you the darkness swirled gathering up from the whole planet and said, “We accept.” Molding into a darkened cocoon around the doll you bent to pick up in a cloth you draped over it now the size of a beach ball. The heavy ball steady in your palm for the Tardis to mold around you and carry you back again to the jelly planet you landed on a balcony overlooking the endless forest making the cocoon start to crack.

“They call me the Bluejay, you have your forest, now feed, breed and grow.” Dropping the cocoon it split open and between the leaves you could hear them slithering away through the millions of trees with Loki watching on as the Lobster creatures and Jaguars nearby creeping closer to the spreading screams of the humanoid creatures inside being devoured one by one. Turned around you looked over the creatures who tentatively looked you over, “Vashta Nerada now dwell in these forests. By tradition you are allowed twenty trees a year with two saplings planted for every one cut down. Mind the trees and they will leave you in peace. Grunt and Roundabout markets are closed. Permanently. Return to your trades and your peace. And don’t worry too much, you’ll be just fine. I’m keeping my eye on you.”

The Tardis molded around you again and smirking down at you to match yours Loki shook his head saying, “Not even demanding a party in return for saving them?”

“Ooh, those sweet little guys dedicate songs and millions of tapestries with my name across them. Plus these adorable little bird shaped biscuits,” making his lips part, “You know the ones. Asgard loves them I hear.”

“That we do.” He wet his lips, “That was Shallacatop then?”

“That was Shallacatop, nothing too extravagant. Living breathing sweet shop for all of the universe.”

Loki chuckled following you back to the control panel, “Protected by a giant creature eating forest even Father wasn’t foolish enough to ever try and touch the planet.” After a pause he asked, “How could you hear them? I couldn’t hear a thing.”

“Time Lord hearing. I can hear the world turning, the core burning and the pulse of time, all of it screaming out for help from anyone who can hear it.”

“Where to now then?”

“Sussex, short pop.” His brow inched up and you said, “Have to drop something off for the Doctor.”

“Drop what off?” He asked glancing down at K9, who brought up a gift bag with a stuffed llama inside, accepting the bag for you he peered inside asking, “Why would he need a llama and a salt shaker set?”

“Wedding gift.” Making his brow inch up and you giggle in turning the final wheel to land and nod your head, “Come on, Princey.”

Chuckling lowly he joined you as you accepted K9’s leash to guide him out to the bustling street, a short stroll later and along a river you stepped into the path of a tall leather jacket clad man with brow inching up until you said, “Doctor, I have something for you.” Loki offered the bag he accepted and peered inside curiously before seeing you lifting a notepad from your pocket beside your sonic screwdriver, stating, “Your mark?”

A smirk ghosted across his lips seeing the hangman game running for years to come and he accepted the screwdriver with pen tip exposed he filled in the word he then spoke in passing it back, “Fantastic.” He had added blanks under the filled in word and said, “Hard digging for this one.”

“I can’t wait, happy hunting. And mind the tangerines.” He nodded his head watching a moment as you led Loki and K9 away chuckling to himself in double checking the gift while Loki peeked on at the notepad asking, “Hangman? This is your game? Why the gift?”

In a giggle you replied, “Because he’s about to interrupt a wedding.”

“Ah, this happen often? He didn’t seem to know you.”

“He just hasn’t met me yet with that face. He’ll remember me later, I’ve met older regenerations. He’s fresh out of the Time War, he needs to go and find Rose, come back to himself again.”

“Any more trinkets?”

“I do have a ping pong paddle for Doctor Four if you’re up for it?”

Loki chuckled and said, “I can’t wait to see what game you have for him.”

.

Out in the middle of a field in Felspoon you landed and Loki’s lips parted seeing the swaying mountains on the warm breeze before his eyes fell to the Fourth Doctor and Sarah Jane tied up on a blanket from their picnic while the Master strut around mid monologue. To silence he fell watching K9 dart over to the Doctor while you giggled in a casual stroll over to the wide eyed Master looking you over.

Turning to face you completely at your widening smile, “Sorry to disturb, Mummy.”

Lowly he muttered, “Mum-,” With lips parting he watched you turn to face the now standing Doctor chuckling and giving K9 a pat on his hip as he bit Sarah Jane’s bound wrists free.

The Doctor, “Such a good dog.”

K9 peered up at him saying, “Affirmative, Doctor.”

Parting the Doctor’s lips making him look up to you then to the scarf around your neck identical to his saying, “Same scarf!”

You giggled and said, “Well you did gift it to me, Doctor, now, a gift for you.”

His hand folded around the paddle and you looked at Sarah Jane as she looked Loki over asking, “Ok, so she knows him, but who are you?”

Loki answered, “Prince Loki, of Asgard.”

The Doctor, “Asgard, Lovely place.”

Loki, “You’ve been?”

Doctor, “Oh yes, lovely place to picnic. Right on the Eastern shore right as the sky lights up and those giant walrus wailing up at the sun. Do give my best to King Borr.”

Loki inhaled sharply, “Ah, yes, that would be, difficult.”

The Doctor looked to you and you said, “King Borr’s daughter in law Frigga is Queen Regent while Loki is away. Fell a few thousand years back now.”

The Doctor nodded, “Ah, right, apologies, only, you have his likeness.” Making Loki smirk to himself.

The Master interrupted resting his hand on your shoulder making you turn again as he asked, “Mummy?” You nodded and his hand cupped your cheek, “I never imagined such a creature could be mine.”

Smiling up at him you folded your hand around his wrist replying, “I don’t think I say it enough, but thank you, for everything.”

“Am I-?”

You shook your head and say, “Infuriating as ever,” making him smirk again, “And don’t forget, cheese cubes are your favorite guilty pleasure.” In your wink he lowered his hand and gave Loki a once over as you said, “As you were then, off to Hawaii with Dad.” Stealing another glance at the Doctor you nodded pointing at the paddle making him chuckle in his second glance at it with wonder what he might need it for as K9 bounded back to you chuckling as he did after rubbing against Sarah Jane’s legs boasting of his upgrades before vanishing with you inside your reappeared Tardis.

Off you flew silently making the Doctor and Master ask, “How did she get it to hum like that?”

Once inside Loki asked, “Your mother really tied them up?”

You nodded and giggled, “Eh, not that evil back in then, merely hindering the Doctor in guiding him along to where he had to go most of the time. A bit slow on occasion.”

“So, how, how exactly did she try to take over the universe?”

“I think that’s a smoothie, up for one?”

He nodded, “Sounds lovely.” Following you to the control panel where he watched the blip for Earth get farther away making him look at you again, “Isn’t Earth-,”

“Ugh,” you swatted his arm, “You are not telling me you think Earth has the best smoothies? Even Asgard has better ice cream than Earth.”

Chuckling to himself he said, “Well pardon me for assuming you had a fondness for the planet.”

“It’s people, there have been countless Earths though.”

“So much fondness for people who wreak such havoc on timelines.”

Again you giggled saying, “They’re young. They’ll learn, eventually.”

“I am certain under your watch they will.”

“Ooh, just wait till I’m off probation then it’s all back down to just the Doctor.”

“You would abandon them so easily, the mortals?”

“Not abandon. Allow them to grow a bit more, you see, time, or, timelines rather, they’re not straight. Oh, it doesn’t matter. You’ll see it eventually.”

Smirking in a step closer he asked near to a purr, “Does that mean you’ll be up for more traveling? Possibly for extended stays?” His eyes flinched to his watch as it synched to your new location and time.

Up to yours again they flinched seeing you facing him with a hand rested on the panel asking in a smirk, “Depends, are you inviting me somewhere?”

While wetting his lips he looked you over then glanced at the screen hearing the whir that meant you had landed and he asked, “The Celestial Belt of the Winter Queen?”

You giggled again and said, “Once you get past the hundred foot tall ice wall it’s got some amazing sights, and smoothies well worth the 50 trillion mile trip.” Starting the stroll to the door, at which you unhooked K9 again and opened it making him gasp aloud at the tropical island on one of the five tiny planets making up the belt in the view of a flash frozen splitting the pristine oceanic Northern portion of the planet from the orange colored southern half. Tilting his head back he eyed the glistening swooped up waves trapped in between the varied temperature holding chunks of ocean.

“Whoa.”

“Mhmm,” In your first step out you said, “Now, about Mum and her plot.” He nodded again watching the pendant wrap around your neck again then caught your eye again, “Well, in the stop before with the paddle that was before the Time War. To avoid it, Mum him his powers in a watch, Time Lord trick, they hide in some obscure point in time and well, the Doctor found him at the End of the Universe. He stole the Tardis, died and regenerated going back to Cardiff. 18 months he set the ground work for his plan to be Prime Minister, married and everything, started to amass this army of tiny floating robot orbs. It took another year, the year that never was, for Martha Jones to help free the Doctor and my Dad, where he got the hatred for Mum’s past life. But the Doctor reversed it all using Mum’s mental link for the planet that helped to hypnotize them to his favor. Anyways, he died again, regenerates after the Doctor had left, then arranged to be brought back, tried to turn everyone on the planet into him got stopped again after the Doctor stopped the Lord President from crushing the Earth with Gallifrey in their try to bring themselves back, then died again, and turned into Mum.”

Loki wet his lips again seeing the winged people you were passing, and asked, “That’s it?”

“Well, that was strike one, she’s tried more than once, but that was more from, you see, when you’re learning in Time Lord education when you’re 8 they take you to this Untempered Schism, an open time vortex to look at all of time. It can inspire, terrify or even drive some mad. Something snapped in Mum, the sound of her hearts beating haunted her. That was the pattern she used to hypnotize, satellites hovering around earth tapping out the sounds his hearts beating to lull the world to calm surrender. Wasn’t till she died and became Mum that she was able to heal herself, that was taken into effect, but you see the Time Lords, we saved them and even the Doctor got punished for his genocide with banishment from Gallifrey. See I was worse than Mum, least in the Time War scope of things, but she cut a deal that let me be free, on a tether at least, more of a plea bargain to protect me than anything else.”

Up to the front of the line in the shop you led him choosing your drink and helping him to pick between his two choices while a child pet K9 on their way through the shop. To the table by the window you sat and his questions delved more towards your home and what other stops you would have to make to drop things off. Each more intriguing than the last for how subtle it all was in the grand scheme of things, though the hidden effect of the smoothie on Loki had you giggling helping him back to the ship at his first giggling slump forward with an arm on the table, “I think, we should sleep together.”

Oh really?” you giggled back seeing his swimming gaze telling that he was among the few races finding the borrumbly berry juice as intoxicating.

“Well, not together, but, together. If you understand me.”

“I believe I do.” You said standing up, “Up you get, off to bed then Prince Charming.”

“I am charming.” He said setting a foot on the ground while K9 disposed of your cups, “And I caught you staring, more than once.” In a giggle you caught the now red eyed man in his slump forward into your side burying his face into your hair murmuring, “That tantalizing scent of yours.” Widely a smirk split onto your face as the ship folded around you both and K9 who was back at your side and promptly off to his chosen bed for the rest of the night. “I can’t wait until I have you in my arms again.”

Reaching up you slung his arm around your shoulders, “Look, halfway there, off to bed now you silver tongued devil you.”

Throatily he chuckled and tilted his head to nuzzle against yours on his slumping half sliding path to the bedroom you were guiding him to, “Nowhere near what I meant.” Trailing his nose along the ridge of your ear you bit your lip to keep from giggling at his growling tone and kiss to the skin just under your ear. “All night every night, out of your arms I am aflame.”

Loosening his arm around your neck you said, “On the bed, get those boots off.” Lifting one end of your scarf you moved to hang it up on the bed.

Lifting a leg he moved to untie his boot stating, “None so dazzling as you to drive me-,” a loud thud had you turn and laugh at the sight of the Prince groaning in his fall to the floor. Hurrying around the bed you helped him up onto it again and out of his boots feeling him staring at you as you pulled off your own shoes, “Jaqiearae Pear, my Goddess Divine of all Space and Time,”

On your knees you knelt on the bed beside him gripping the buckle of his belt lifting him up a couple inches saying, “Back you get. And be careful who you call a Goddess.”

“But you are, why else would you take such pity on a wretch like me,” he said fumbling backwards to the pillows.

“You are no wretch, you are a King,”

His hand eased around your neck in his humming, “Every King needs his-,”

“Sleep,” a glide of your hand around his neck had his eyes rolling back at the mental trigger you set off making him fall back into his pillow, “Good night Prince Loki.”

With a sigh you watched his eyelids shut over his red eyes and curiously eyed the ridges on his arms you laid in a more comfortable spot across his chest. Beside him you sighed laying out beside him with a few inches between you and you closed your eyes allowing yourself to drift off to sleep feeling your body starting to heal the unseen burns from holding the Vashta Nerada cocoon even with the cloth between it and your skin.


	13. Chapter 13

A tap on your nose opened your eyes to find your father seated beside you smirking as he whispered, “It’s not just his eyes that are blue. What’d you give him?”

“Apparently borrumbly berry juice is potent on Jotuns as well.” Making him chuckle as you sat up.

Looking you over his hand went to lift your still shimmering hand, “You need some of my nanogens? Haven’t seen this since,”

“Grunt and roundabout. Had to set the Vashta Nerada on them, again.”

“Good, saved the cookies, well done,” making you giggle again and catch is concern still in his gaze, “Does it hurt?”

“No, stung last night, better now. Should stop in a few minutes.”

A glance at his watch had him saying, “Hmm, ship’s nearly fully charged again.”

“Then you’re off?”

His eyes met yours, “Not this time, Pumpkin. I know I do tend to take off, and it doesn’t help just being in touch across screens I do want to be with you, and this time, I just can’t leave you to handle this one alone. Not with how bad Steve’s messing up time. My sensors are off left and right picking up time loops and fluxes, even with your stops last night. Surely the council will finally see just how devastating this is. You’ve helped them with tech to rebuild Gallifrey, and they just left you on Earth for all this time, they have to give you the clearance to interfere.”

“Well I’m certain Mum is giving them hell for it.”

“Finally, a good use for that wrath of hers.” Making you smirk and he sighed, “I do miss her. I’ll stop being mad, eventually.”

“I know.”

His eyes wandered to Loki again, “How much did you give him or did you knock him out?”

“One cup, but I had to convince him to sleep.”

“Well you might want to wake him up, Precious is almost to Midnight.”

“Bet he’ll love a bit of our new Hawaii.”

“Bet you’ll love seeing Lou again,”

His smirk widened, “I am a sucker for guys with four arms, I think it’s the biceps.”

“I think you like the challenge of holding hands and still being squeezed you giant snuggle bear.” Making him smirk and nod watching your pupils dilate focusing on Loki’s face instantly making him draw in a deep breath lulling him awake subtly then face your dad, “But I can’t say I wouldn’t blame you, four arms is certainly better than two heads. Too much chatter, way too many opinions.”

He chuckled again then glanced at Loki when his Jotun form rippled away and his brows furrowed in the turn of his head making him sit up when he saw the both of you looking at him. Though Jack grinned asking, “Ready to see our new Hawaii? They have an amazing breakfast before the tour of the Sapphire Falls if you’re up to it?”

Brushing his hair back he crossed his legs straightening up, “I’m sorry, did you say Sapphire Falls? Like water falls?”

Jack shook his head, “No, like a waterfall of sapphires.” Parting the Prince’s lips stirring a giggle from you as he patted his knee, “Come on, boots on Prince Loki. Time to eat then plenty of time to explore. How’s your head?”

Loki glanced at you in a shift to the end of the bed, “Bit fuzzy. I don’t remember coming back from the shop.”

To which you explained, “Oh that, I didn’t realize borrumbly berry juice was intoxicating for Jotuns as well.”

Loki, “Ah,” bending forward for his boots he winced feeling a hidden bruise from his fall off the bed last night that flickered then faded from his mind into a thought of you grabbing his belt he shook off imagining he had dreamed it. “Did you say your new Hawaii?”

“Ya, sort of like the Swan Club,”

Loki, “So you cannot travel to Hawaii anymore?”

Jack said, “Oh, there’s a glacier on a moon named Hawaii, gone now, not the actual Hawaii. We can go there any time if you’d prefer it.”

Loki shook his head, “No, I look forward to seeing your new Hawaii. I had wondered why you might have found the actual Hawaii on Earth so intriguing.” Making you giggle again.

“How’s the hip?”

“Not as bad as it should be. From what I remember I fell hard.”

“It was more of a roll, impressive though all the same.”

“I do hope I didn’t make a fool of myself.”

You shook your head, “Not at all,” tying your second shoe you lowered your leg again catching his concerned gaze making you smirk and say, “You did ask to sleep with me, past that nothing I would find too scandalous for you to be embarrassed over.”

Loki wetting his lips he followed you both asking in a tuck of his sweater back into his jeans truly hoping he hadn’t behaved too forward in his uninhibited state and asked, “This new Hawaii, what is it called?” His eyes sinking to K9 trotting over to join you.

Jack answered with a wide grin, “Midnight.” Making Loki’s brow inch up, “See, the Doctor made a stop here and found out that the diamond surface under the extonic sunrays was poisoned and there were these shadow creatures. Jaqi’s named them Gabbers since, anyways, he tried to get them to move their Leisure Palace and tour of the falls, where Jaqi managed to come up to a beneficial agreement for both to share the planet.”

Loki, “How did you manage that with the, Gabbers, if the Doctor couldn’t?”

Jack chuckled leaning against the pillar by the door crossing his arms answering, “Well to say that you have to share what happened to him. He went on the falls tour, but the trolley stopped and so he goes to inspect the Captain’s cabin and of course had them put the visor up for a few minutes, which allows one of the Gabbers to spot them. It tears the Captain’s Cabin off, starts knocking all around the ship stirring up fear, that’s how they get in you see. Then it latches onto the most afraid, who cowers, then jolts up mimicking everyone on the ship learning all the time until it gradually gets to where it can say what they’re gonna say as they’re saying it, then it jumps again. This one latched onto the Doctor, it latches onto another person who it only mimics until it talks before the second person who then gets locked into place. More fear is built up by the Gabber’s first prey and this was when the stewardess grabbed her and then jumped out of the airlock freeing the Doctor.”

Loki looked at you as you said, “Like in the Library I gave them meat dolls and we had a chat.”

Jack laughed, “Ya, threatened to blow up their planet kind of chat.”

“Well they did threaten to eat my legs.”

Jack nodded, “It was a fair jab back. No argument here.”

“Anyways, turns out there was this gas field that was poisoning their home so we had to go and drill out as much as we could and they didn’t need the human bodies to survive it anymore, and they could purify their gemstone home. Plus they realized that the company could actually help them by digging out the topaz hills they apparently hated so much, damn things grow 200 feet annually, so the Leisure Palace gets to sell the stones and help keep peace with the native Gabbers.”

Loki, “Wow, that is, impressive. How you managed to secure all that.”

“Oh trust me, my fists were bruised a bit by the end of the week, damn stubborn fools.”

Jack, “But, we made a killing on that oil and we get free stays whenever we want to drop by, and thanks to our help the nightclubs here are booming with plenty of company.”

Loki, “Do all of your rescue missions end up so physical?”

Smirking at him you opened the door, “That wasn’t a rescue mission, that was a cleanup job. Rescue missions are downright deadly with us.”

With lips parting Loki eyed the white marble entrance with blue marble floral patterns across the floors, though at the gawking entrance of the uniformed staff who gathered around even to welcome K9. In a glance at him the head Manager said, “Welcome back to the Midnight Leisure Palace resort. I see you have brought guests, however for the safety of others, your canine companion must wear a bubble suit.”

In a shake of your head you said, “This is K9, he only appears to be a canine companion.”

K9 answered, “I am an animatronic companion entirely composed of unbiological sources, not counting a pouch of seeds I have in a contained pouch within my liver for reforestation purposes.”

The Manager smiled at him then you all again, “Of course, right this way. Breakfast was just opened in our dining hall to tide you over until our first cruiser to Sapphire Falls. Then of course our pleasure spa is readying your suites for afterwards and your guest shall receive as many topaz gifts as he or she desires.”

Loki stole a glance at you easing his fingers out to brush along your exposed wrist to your palm for a few moments of claiming your hand for the stroll into the dining hall of hovering tables and stools topped with ruby plates and golden silverware matching the yellow crystal goblets. Around a table you sat, including K9, who sat on a stool peering out at the other species of creatures around between glances at the holographic chess board linked to twenty other players through the Palace. Between the men you sat smiling at the pair of them through the meal listening to their chatter on other possible spots you could visit while here.

.

“Four hours?” Loki asked, “I’m not complaining, in fact I’m certain it’s well worth the trip, however I am wondering what the ride would entail.”

Jack chuckled, “Oh, not much, there’s some entertainment but mainly it’s great for a nap but it is well worth it. Plus, the night club’s on the other side of the falls and then you take the spa shuttle back and by the time they unwrap us we’re unloaded onto this hot rack and they wheel us right into this sort of oven.” Loki’s brow inched up, “Trust me, they coat us in these hot rocks and this grainy cream and we’re wheeled through this watery door and these warm noodle things glide across us and then all the water just erupts into steam and we roll out smelling like caramel and feeling even softer.”

Loki chuckled taking hold of your hand again, “I do like caramel.” Entering the ship behind you noticing the scattered group of fellow travelers and happily settled into his seat beside you eager to see these falls you had brought him to.

Into the cabin the Stewardess smiled and stated with her cart easing between the rows handing out goods to each of you, “Headphones for channel 1-36, Mobile link for 3d vidgames, Earplugs, Slippers, Juice pack,”

“Peach and Clementine, classic.” You said, making Loki smirk in your glancing smile at him.

Stewardess, “Peanuts, I must warn you some products may contain nuts.”

“That would be the peanuts.” A man behind you muttered.

“Enjoy your trip.” She replied to him then walked to the front of the cabin to tap the button on the control panel signaling the cabin to lock, “Welcome Ladies, Gentlemen and Variations there upon to a Leisure Palace Company tour, our journey is to begin momentarily. Doors. Shields. Due to the Extonic sunlight the journey will be taken with the viewers drawn. Midnight has no air so do not touch the exterior shields.”

At once the screen lit up in yellow relaying it’s own message, ending with, “Estimated travel time four hours, and as they said in the old days, Wagons roll!”

Loki asked looking around the cabin asking under the cloud of noise from the Betty Boop cartoon and the music video playing under a holographic bubble in the center of the aisles, “Micropetrol engines?”

You nodded, “Exactly, and the air’s on a circular filter that could last for 10 years. Windows are finitoglass so we have a few minutes before being vaporized.” Replying as you used your screwdriver to silence the music video and hologram so people could watch the film reel easier.

Two hours seemed to flash by while his fingers remained locked in yours and stroking against the skin on your hand only looking away from you when the meal arrived and your father chuckled asking, What do you think? Is this beef or chicken?”

“Looks like both.” You replied at Loki letting go of your hand to claim his silverware and smirk enjoying the odd but delicious meal. After which he could claim your hand again to sit through the classic reel of nursery rhymes playing until you nodded your head to the side. And leaning over he watched the viewers open exposing the enormous jewel the size of a glacier reaching the cliffs of Oblivion and then shatter into sapphires at the edge then fall 100,000 feet into a crystal ravine. His hand still keeping hold of yours all the way through docking to show you through the shop where he eyed the various items and grabbed a few including some his mother would enjoy as well as one for Thor.

Changed into a fresh suit in his typical black while your father chose blue, between them you adjusted a hair pin on your twisted braided bun showing off the backless opening to your halter top dress hanging to your feet with triangular sheer panels showing off glimpses of your legs from your upper thighs. Tall heels had you to a more tolerable height allowing you chance to possibly rest your chin on Loki’s shoulder if you rose up a bit more on your toes. Though from the moment you entered the hall eyes latched onto you and your magnetic father.

A pair of four armed men had come over and while Loki was distracted by a three headed creature seemingly a mix of woman and raspberry bush his eyes shifted over to you and his eyes flinched to red for just a second seeing two of his hands meant to guide you in the dance while the others dared to dip lower on your back. Unheard to him your hand left his and you pressed a weak point on his shoulder saying, “Mind the hands or I’ll drown you in salt slug boy.”

Again he tried to pull you closer only to have his eyes flash green and simply move past you off to get a drink while Loki strolled across the floor leaving a double in his place to chat with the three headed creature. His hand settling on your elbow and sliding down your arm to drape around your wrist guiding you out of the room and into the hall, his eyes scanning around in his turn to lead you down to the emptier end of it where he found a small nook between two pillars. Against the window showing a view of the emerald fields and opal fountains he turned reaching up with a finger twitch that made your lips part at your pendant opening folding the Tardis around you both.

“Did you just open-,” Your lips parted at his red eyed panting self smoothing his hands over his face and through his hair to brush it out of his face again.

“I can’t do this. I thought I could but I can’t. I can’t just come to all these indescribable places with the most indescribable woman I’ve ever met and live off of you. I can’t. I don’t care if it costs me everything and leaves me homeless and destitute. I cannot live off of your charity anymore.” The irritated growl in his voice growing with every flail of his hands emphasizing how flustered he was.

Confused and almost on the edge of tears you whispered, “It was never charity.”

“I can’t just live in your home, and take your money, for what? A contract?!”

“What contract?!” You practically shouted back.

Loudly he replied on the edge of tears, “I can’t be your ward! I am so undeserving! All that I have done-,”

“Is a scratch in the sand to me.” You scoffed back in his flicker back to his shielded form noticing his hands were shifting blue on him.

“WHY ME?!” He shouted back with tears in his eyes and hands patting his chest to sway again in his speech, “You asked me why I hadn’t asked you up front, well I didn’t want to know but now I have to know. What did I do, or say, or what pathetic glimpse into my place under Stark’s heel had you coming to save such a pathetic-,”

Pointing at him you said, “Stop it, now! You are not pathetic! So far from pathetic! Or a downtrodden wretch beyond saving from unfortunate circumstances.”

“Now who’s-,” he scoffed back only to be cut off again at a tear rolling down his cheek.

“You are however one of the dumbest smart people I have ever met.” Parting his lips, “How can you not remember me?” His brows furrowed in your step closer, “You talk about saving and not being worth all of this and so much more, when you saved me first.” His eyes looked you up and down, “Years ago, it was just for a moment, a tiny blip, but you made me feel safer then I had ever felt being trapped here.”

Lifting your hands to smooth your fingertips across his forehead his pupils dilated seeing himself strolling past you disguised with a telling green shimmer you could see. Then in a flash the streets were pouring down rain and avoiding the Shield agent you trotted up his stoop and knocked on his door. To fling yourself into his arms and whisper your fear laced explanation causing him to bring you indoors and guide you to your shared balcony in the apartment you were renting while renovating your current one.

Your hands lowered and he asked, “This is you repaying me then?” With a hinted hopeless tone.

“How can you be so blind?” Parting his lips again, “I can still feel your arms around me. That one tiny blip in your life, one moment with a creature like you, and this is no insult! People on Earth are giants, massive thundering idiotic giants stamping through the universe, but you, just like a magnificent black swan. Which doesn’t make any sense to anyone but me but you have no idea how magnificent you truly are compared to them. You can’t see it. There is no contract or pity. I do what I want when I want to, and no amount of pity would make me bring anyone I didn’t feel was worth more than billions of newborn cosmos into my ship.”

His lips parted again, “This is my most sacred piece of myself I guard like no other. Some guard their bodies, this is me bare, these metal bones are my wings. The Doctor takes companions like breathing air, even my Mum had minions to bring along, I traveled alone. Those boys in the war were scared children in need of saving quick drop offs, you don’t need to be saved you needed someone to open your eyes and make you look up from the floor. So busy saving the world you didn’t notice that cage of yours wasn’t locked.” In the frail added whisper from you he wet is lips, “You don’t have to stay with me-.”

“I’m not leaving. Never-,” closing the distance his hand cupped your cheek and his lips met yours in a firm kiss. One that in a peak into the ship your dad smirked to himself snapping a picture with his phone before slipping out again to head back to his four armed date he had excused himself away from for a moment.

In a murmur he asked, “You think I’m a swan? Nothing more, formidable?”

In a giggle you replied, “Clearly someone has never been attacked by a swan. Just a prettier version of a goose who is hellfire trapped in feathery form.”

At that a smirk eased across his lips that were soon again on yours again in another warm kiss with his free arm easing you against his chest. Tenderly his fingers trailed across the bare stretch of your back in a move to rest on your waist asking in a press of your forehead to his, “You could see me hiding? So easily?”

“I am quite old you know. Been around, seen some powerful magic.” Your head pulled back and you asked, “How did you open my pendant?”

“I asked her nicely. Wouldn’t let me touch her, but with you she let me in.” His eyes delved into yours in the smoothing of is hand across your cheek, “You thought of me, all these years.”

“And you stumbled right back into my path.”

“You mean like fate?”

“Oh there is so much more than fate.” Making him smirk again and lower his hand to cradle yours lifting it to his lips pressing a kiss to your knuckles.

“Only an hour left before our spa train and caramel bake,” making you giggle again in joining him for the hand in hand stroll back to the dancing and the crowds he held you close for the night through. Remaining so on the walk to the train where a screen cut between him and you at the slip of the ties loose on your dress to start the spa treatments.

It wasn’t until five hours later you met up back at the edge of the pool under the aurora filled sky seen through the domed glass roof, all smelling of caramel and giggling at that fact all the way to change in your suite. Groggily you laid out on the fainting couch with Loki joining you for a brief nap your dad caught a picture of as K9 sprawled out across your joined legs and went out to meet up with his four armed beau again.

Loud moans split through the room and lowly you grumbled burying your face into Loki’s neck stirring him enough to charm the tv on to play a movie to cover the sounds in nuzzling his head against yours again closing his eyes. The impending growl of your stomach however had you changed again and off to the dining hall again with K9, who eagerly jumped at the chance to play simultaneous chess games again with other diners.

.

“Please…just once more?” Jack fake pled as you eased a dial around a globe spinning navigator making you smirk and settle it on the favorite cluster of galaxies filled with burning up asteroids lighting up the path making his smile widen in sharing the first time he had seen it after stealing his first space ship when he had been trapped on a foreign space center by his crew who had turned on him for a big payday. Behind you Loki leaned against your back draping an arm around your middle not noticing the picture being captured of you both.

Though upon your return Jack was off to check on his ship and up the elevator from the bunker you led Loki and K9 up from to your floor where the doorbell alarm sounded and you smirked saying, “Thor’s here for you. You remember?”

Sharply he inhaled and glanced from the steps to you and closed the distance cupping your cheek again to claim a tender kiss then murmured, “Enjoy your day off.”

“Enjoy sharing your trinkets with Thor.”

“I’ll try to keep him from asking for a ride.”

“Oh I’m certain Rocket and Valkyrie will be along for him whenever he wishes to travel again.” Making Loki chuckle in your turn into your apartment leaving K9 eager and ready for his first run with the pair waiting in the doorway to greet Thor while Loki hurried upstairs to change.

.

Thor stared at the topaz daggers with his mouth agape asking, “Celestial Topaz? Where did you find these?”

His eyes shifted to his brother who was smirking and said, “Gift shop on a planet called Midnight.”

Thor, “Incredible.” Tightly he hugged his brother saying, “Thank you, brother.”

Loki smirked saying, “No trouble at all. Now, I do believe we promised K9 a run.”

Thor nodded joining him down to the gym and asked once out of earshot from your apartment, “So, Miss Pear, any progress?” Loki’s smirk spread and Thor smirked as well, “There is! I knew it! Surely travels have helped to smooth you both into a courtship. Tell me, when will I be able to claim her as my sister?”

Loki rolled his eyes, “One step at a time, Brother.”

Thor patted him on the back, “True, just be certain to share when you are ready to introduce her to Mother. I will call Rocket and Valkyrie.” Making Loki smirk again.


	14. Chapter 14

“There you are Doctor..” you muttered to yourself. Another scan through your system and finally SHIELD was picking up on the Doctor and in a ripple you smirked seeing more and more hints of his helping out through history. Torchwood was next to flicker up and finally those continuous history scans of Stark’s had popped up pictures of you and your father making his lips part seeing just how long you had been defending the Earth from various aliens. Over your video chat on your phone Jack picked up your call as you said, “Dad, looks like we’re finally showing up in history outside WW2.”

“Bout time, maybe that’ll get Stark off your case.”

In a giggle you replied, “And let them see Loki’s a boy scout compared to us.”

With a wide grin he said as he finished double checking his system updates, “Funny how we tend to like the good guys huh?”

Giggling again you replied, “So much more fun with them. Keeps us on the right path I suppose.”

“If you look at the uploads I sent you I believe we have your new Christmas card.” Your brows furrowed curiously and you pulled up the pictures and couldn’t help but giggle, “I like the one with you three snuggled up asleep. Give people something to be jealous over.”

“Oh yes.”

“Bout time you landed yourself a Prince.” Making you giggle again, “Had my fair share,”

“Oh I know that.” A shift of your gaze to your phone had you lifting it saying, “Hold on, Precious is forwarding a call…” Making him swivel his seat to face his screen your face was on knowing the line must now have been linked up again due to her full repair and first flight. Carefully you listened and said, “What is he doing there?” Your brows furrowed and you replied, “No, no I’m not saying you sent him there, just trying to work it out myself. Just give him a big sampler on me and I’ll be up there shortly.” Hanging up the phone you said, “Someone left Keanu Reeves on Darilium.”

Jack let out a laugh, “That sounds like an amazing story.” His eyes scanned over your face, “We taking Loki?”

“I’ll see if he’s busy.”

Jack chuckled, “I’ll change into something nicer.”

*

Eyes scanning over the screen Tony’s mouth eased open in flipping through the files once sealed and not there days prior popping up about Captain Jack Harkness. Thousands of redacted pages of information all the more unbelievable than the last being poured over by the whole team of scientists and Natasha with Peter peeking in with a bowl of popcorn in his palm. “Who’s Bluejay?”

Tony said, “You’re supposed to be on a run.”

Peter, “Thor hasn’t gotten back yet, said he was running with Loki and his new dog.”

Tony rolled his eyes and Dr Strange said, “I got no clue who Bluejay is, but they’re mentioned in half the reports on Torchwood and Captain Jack.”

Bruce, “And a quarter have this Doctor guy. Who has a mile long reference sheet going back, thousands of years, all the way back to Ancient Egypt and Greece.”

Peter, “Maybe this is why Miss Pear has to be so secretive of her life.”

Tony, “You think she’s hiding this Doctor guy?”

Bruce, “More like they’re a team. Centuries Jack and Doctor go back, no telling where Miss Pear fits in, unless she’s Bluejay.”

Dr Strange, “You know, all this, makes New York look like child play. Doctor saves England every Christmas, no telling what holidays or disasters Jack and Bluejay have helped to clear up. And they don’t seem so powerful either, just smart creatures, with blue boxes.”

Tony’s brows furrowed, “Wait, Pear, at the funeral, that story they said their dad was saved by a madwoman with a blue box, Pear’s Mom, must have inherited it.”

Bruce, “Let me guess, you’re going to try and steal it?”

Tony, “No. No if she or her mom’s this Bluejay she’s been able to move all of Saturn’s moons before according to this Torchwood record.”

Dr Strange smirked teasing, “And you stole her pen.”

Peter eyed the reports and asked, “Why is most of this in England?”

Bruce, “Torchwood was started by Queen Victoria.”

Tony, “How did we not know this all this time?”

Natasha, “She said Steve messed up time.” They looked at her, “He messed something up and now these teams have had to come public to fix it.”

Bruce, “You mean like an alternate reality?”

Natasha shrugged and Peter said, “No, Mr Stark, you worked on tools and weapons before you had your heart replaced, they always were there, just quiet. Only those who needed to could know. Until they had to be seen, like SHIELD. Watching, learning.”

Dr Strange, “Doesn’t seem like they need much teaching. Seems like they’re the experts on all these situations, with all these different aliens.”

Tony, “If they are fixing things, and Steve is messing things up this badly, what could they possibly do to fix this?”

Bruce said, “Well, we managed time travel.”

Tony, “So what, she’ll go back and shoot him or something?”

Natasha, “For this much trouble I would.” They looked at her, “Brought it on himself.”

*

“25 nights? Honestly? That is how long night lasts on Darilium? No wonder sunset was so magnificent.” Smirking at him you strolled hand in hand with Loki to a small café while your father helped to convince the guards who had been meant to watch the stolen star from his event in London on where he had popped off to.

On the outer seating area Loki sat while you popped inside, his hand fixing the nametag on the collar K9 had on lowly saying, “Three games of chess when we get home,” making the dog’s docked tail wag excitedly. Four years before he would be set to attack New York Loki sat unknown to the masses in the café enjoying his peace between stolen snapshots of you from the scattered people who recognized your face from Master Inc. “You are not tired from our run today?” Subtly shaking his head no he gave his answer only to look at the man across the street who froze seeing Loki.

Trotting across the street the blonde short haired man looked around then claimed the seat beside the Prince smoothing his sweater more down his middle sneaking a finger swipe along a hidden weapons holster on his belt seeing a group of cameramen filing out of a car that had been following the man. “Prince Loki,” he glanced around, “Where’s my girl?”

“Jaqi’s inside ordering for us.”

The Master, “Jaqi, short for Jaqiearae?” Loki nodded and the Master let out a disbelieving chuckle, “Aww, from the tale of the talking trebuchet, I loved that story as a child.”

Loki mumbled, “Talking Trebuchet..”

His eyes flinched to you in your exit with three drinks in a carrier in hand and Master’s standing with a smile making you smile too and giggle approaching him, “There’s my girl.”

“Hey Mummy.”

His arms extended for a tight hug and a peck on your forehead ending with a cupping of your cheek, “How are you?” In stepping back he said, “You look like you slept well.”

With a nod you replied as you sat down settling the carrier in the center of the table passing Loki his blended drink similar to yours you removed next. “Good, just got back from Darilium,”

The Master, “Ooh, romantic,” Glancing between you two with a smirk.

“Someone thought it would be funny to take an A list actor and drop him there. Leave him with the check.”

Master, “Been there, he hit me with that paddle you know.”

In a giggle you replied, “I know. But if he hadn’t you wouldn’t have found that tungsten coin that came in so handy later on. Plus, makes for a better story later on.”

His eyes turned to the photographer asking, “Family friends Mr Saxon?”

The Master turned his head and smiled patting your hand, “My dear baby Cousin, haven’t seen her in, feels like centuries,” he said smirking at you before saying to you, “I have to head off, campaign trail and all that.”

“Have fun. See you soon.”

“Really?”

You nodded, “Really.”

Making him rise and lean in for another hug and peck on your cheek before shaking Loki’s hand, “Prince Loki. Enjoy London.”

The title was repeated and more pictures were taken of you all before they followed after him making Loki ask in your taking his former seat by the Prince’s side, “Campaign trail?”

“Prime Minister elections.” Making Loki smirk, “She dreams big, can’t help it.”

“What were your dreams? What did you want to be?” He asked in your sip of your drink.

“I loved inventing since I was little. Have a knack for it. Some of the best were inventors. Have to say I loved my AI animals. Always had a version of them even down to tiny little wind up ones when I was eight.”

“I bet you’re the best.” Silently your smile widened and your gaze shifted down the street to your father trotting up in a bothered exhale at the hassle he had cleared up.

“Honestly, the nonsense stories we have to give out. Could have just said he was stolen by ten foot tall geese and they wouldn’t blink twice.”

Accepting his drink he joined you on a stroll through the city on a later set of dates spreading more items to the Doctor and even one you left for Donna, who in this reality you had carefully managed to allow her to keep her memories. Though to spare her you had to tear apart River Song’s timeline and completely obliterate the Silence’s plan leaving Melody safe with her parents from the beginning. Hopefully to grow far better, though still ending up in a brief marriage to the Doctor, but leaving him now wandering in an awkward balance of travel and minding their three year old son Rory’s father now traveled along to help mind as Rory and Amy cared for their other children at home.

.

Another week came and went with minor acts and a few more treasured stops in between. Yet halfway through a stop to visit a special ball you were stopped to see an overhead view of one of the battles against Napolean and at a warning chime you left the doorway of the Tardis to read the message reading across the screen.

Jack was next to walk up behind you asking, “What’s it say?” Asking about the smirk inducing Gallifreyan message on the screen.

“That, is the all clear to pick up Stevie boy.”

Jack muttered, “Three guesses why.” Turning back to his room, “I’ll get my guns.”

Loki looked at you asking, “I may be a bit slow on this, three guesses?”

Weakly you chuckled saying on your path to your clothing room to change out of your corseted gown, “Reapers are coming. Brooklyn’s gonna be wiped off the history books.”

Lowly he replied, “Ah,” undoing his cravat, “Battle armor I take it then?”

“Might be useful. Couple stops first, then the fun.” You said with a smirk starting to strip inside the room changing into a sweater and vest combo along with your jeans. Leaving your heeled boots knowing converse weren’t going to cut it with their thin soles today.

Jack entered the doorway leaving a bag of weapons on the bench, undoing his own cravat, “Simple snatch and grab this time?”

“No, this one will need finesse,” you sighed, “He’s had a baby.”

Jack scoffed rolling his head back, “Ugh, why?”

Loki looked between you, “I imagined children were considered a blessing.”

“Not when you steal another man’s wife and have a nonexistent baby in a time stream you’ve torn open.”

Jack, “I’ve had hoards of babies, but even I knew not to do that. Even my boy with Mary Queen of Scots never did this.” He looked to Loki, “Unfortunate jousting accident, however, amazing boy, terrible temper, well more than terrible, he really got swept up in the war mongering between England and Scotland.”

“Ah, and how will you handle this?” He asked trying not to delve too deep into a possibly sore topic.

“In a way Stark will have another reason to hate me. Plus, now he’s turned to HYDRA since SHIELD hasn’t been opened yet. Trying to heal Polio. Though I’m sure the more he digs he’ll try to dig out Bucky too.”

Jack, “Back up then?”

You nodded, “Back up. And I know just who to ask.” You said pulling a jacket on over you as you left to steer the ship, “But he’s not gonna like it either.” Adding your screwdriver holster into the pocket of your vest with other hidden gun holsters all over your body.

Jack laughed, “Oh, we’re, no, oh this is gonna be fun. I love bringing him along, never seen a blue man blush so hard as him.” Loki’s brow inched up in securing the final hidden strap on his battle armor before giving his weapon bag a glimpse.

At the landing the pair were in the main hall joining you to the doorway as you said, “First stop, Stark Tower.” Curiously the men peered over your shoulders seeing you open the door to see Peter in the kitchen mid bite on a sandwich staring up at you wide eyed in your smiling statement, “Peter, just the man I wanted to see. You got some webbing on you?” Lowering his sandwich he nodded and you said, “Good, if you’re up for it I need a man who can follow orders.”

“Up, for what?”

“Fetching Steve Rogers, healing time, saving Brooklyn and the future of the world. No biggie.”

After a pausing blink he leapt out of his chair over the table and grabbed his bag on the end of it, “Alright, but I gotta be back by Tuesday, big test.” In your step back he stepped inside and his lips parted looking up, “It’s, but, it was, just a, box…”

Giggling in closing the door you headed back to the console, “Come on Precious, let’s go rescue an old friend.” Spinning a dial on the console you said, “August 2014, feeling, June-ish…”

Peter stared up at the ceiling muttering, “It’s bigger on the inside… How is it bigger on the inside?”

“Feel free to take a look around Kid.” Jack said and Peter raced off leaving his bag there.

“Look at the library!!” a few moments later you heard a splash and Loki smirked heading off to show the boy to the dryer, “And a pool!! With a water slide!!” A few moments later you heard him ask, “Costumes?” That had him coming back again with his hair and clothes slightly askew in a hasty fixing of it from the dryer asking, “Why the costume room?”

Smirking at him you said, “It’ll come to you.”

And his brows furrowed in thought then shot up, “No!” he looked from Loki then back to you from Jack, “No!” stepping closer he asked, “A time machine?!” Making your smirk flinch wider, “You have a time machine?! Just time? Or can it travel through space too? Cuz you weren’t in the tower before so it isn’t like movies where it has to be a fixed location…wait, time machine, you could have-,”

“Before you go there, time travel has rules.” He nodded, “Certain events are fixed and cannot be changed, no matter how much we hate them. They need to have occurred for the greater time stream. Each person has their own and they all blend together. Like Steve when you use it poorly or damage the stream there are consequences. Besides, my ship was damaged when I landed here it’s taken decades to get it fixed again so I couldn’t have interfered if I cared to.”

Peter wet his lips, “So, if I had lost something, something I loved dearly. Say a childhood toy, you could take me back to find my favorite slinky?”

With a smirk you replied, “No, I can’t take you back in your own stream. At least not directly, I could take you to Tokyo on the day you were born, but to take you into the same town is potentially devastating.”

“So Sir Slinksimmon’s lost forever?”

In an adoring sigh you said, “I’ll see what I can do.” Making his smile flinch out again in his move closer.

Peter, “Decades, you said decades, and this, isn’t human,”

“Time Lord.”

Peter, “Time-,”

You nodded, “From Gallifrey. Very old, very powerful people who tend to not meddle in other’s lives, or at least we claim not to. Curiosity and all that. We really have the temperament of cats most of the time.”

Peter smirked trying not to imagine time traveling cats, “Like the Asgardians?”

Loki, “We call them the Frey. Haven’t seen them in ages. Mainly just old tales to us.”

Peter, “How old?”

“I’m 1206.”

Peter, “12-,”

You nodded, “Hundred and six, yes.” A whirling hum sounded and you said, “Pardon me, have to round up another friend.” Trotting to the door making him trot curiously behind you to the door with Loki in tow only too peer out at the battle ground on Xandar with the Guardians across from Ronan exiting his wrecked pod from his ship hovering up above.

Ronan, “Give me the orb!”

Stepping out into the rocky rubble you cleared your throat saying, “Excuse me.” At that Ronan’s gaze shifted to you and you flashed him a grin as the Guardians looked you over.

Starlord, “Who the hell are you?”

“Don’t worry, be gone in two shakes,” looking to Ronan you said, “Hey Ro, I was wondering if you might be free?” Easing your hands into your back pockets.

Looking you over he growled back, “I am a bit busy at the moment.” Then his brows furrowed resting his hammer against his shoulder retracting it from being aimed at the Guardians, “Unless this is why you have come for me.”

With a shrug you said, “I could use a warrior of your skill, and that hammer wouldn’t hurt.”

Ronan rumbled back with a smirk, “You come to me for aid in battle?”

“Who better than the Kree for total annihilation? Have you back home again in no time flat.”

“What of Xandar-,”

Starlord called out, “Hey, we’re in the middle of something here!”

Turning to face him you said, “So am I little boy.” You looked to Ronan again then shot off a steam of lightning from your finger at the man’s feet when he tried to come closer making Ronan smirk.

Lowering his gaze to you he said, “Tell me of Xandar?”

**_“Not so much as a postage stamp is left if you spare it today, much worse is waiting for them.”_** You answered in Kree deepening his smirk.

“You have my aid, my hammer, and my ships.” He answered and turned as you did to your ship leaving the confused Guardians standing there in the dirt while his ships above shrank at a beam firing from the cone of light on top of your ship to fit inside the ship’s containment field. With lips parted Peter stepped back at Loki’s hand guiding him to do so, the Prince and Warrior traded nods and once inside Ronan exhaled seeing Jack smirking at him.

Peter, “You’re blue,” That made Ronan glance at him, “Like Nebula.”

Ronan, “You know of Nebula?”

You answered, “An older Nebula.” Crossing back to the controls.

Ronan, “Ah,” looking at Peter he said, “We are two different races. Hers far more inferior to mine.”

Peter awkwardly asked in a glance at you, “Cool, cool, you, um, have you known each other long?”

Ronan, “Nearly all my life.” He looked to you, “I am confused, how is the child relevant to this task?”

With a grin you answered, “I like him, he doesn’t get out much and he has near indestructible webbing that will come in handy. Ronan, meet Spiderman.”

Ronan, “Spiderman, peculiar name,” at that Peter’s suit morphed around him and he wet his lips only to be circled by the warrior, “Impressive, for your era of technology I presume. Though I expected more legs.”

Peter, “I can climb walls though.”

Ronan smirked at him, “Very useful. Just mind my hammer in battle. I would hate to kill you unjustly.” Passing him to get to you making Peter’s lips purse a moment.

Loki patted him on the back lowly telling him, “That means he likes you.” Gaining a nod from the perplexed teen.

Back to your column you went and spun a dial making Peter come closer inspecting the screen between controls you shifted until another lever was switched making him ask, “What’s the plan?”

“First we go through HYDRA/SHIELD’s home base.”

Peter, “I’m sorry, did you say HYDRA?”

“Yup, Stevie boy wanted to cure Polio and they found an opening in his wish to help to use him. He wanted to help the world and gave HYDRA a boost ahead.” In a glance at Ronan you said, “I’m going to give you coordinates, if you could send the ships off to wipe them away on my signal that would be lovely.”

Ronan, “Should be an easy conquest, just block the missile defenses for the planet in return for the favor.”

With a smirk your father said, “Earth, 1944, no missiles.”

Ronan looked him over and asked, “Then why the invasion?”

“Because we need to make them remember this day.” Stirring a deep smirk on the warrior’s face, “You’re with us on the ground, Ro.”

A final swipe of your finger twisting a rotating ring on a dial and a whir sounded. Stepping down the platform steps you said glancing at Peter, “Your suit’s bullet proof?”

Peter nodded, “Yes. Are they going to shoot at me?”

“They’re not going to have time to.” Jack said patting him on the shoulder, “But, mask on, helps make you look older.”


	15. Chapter 15

Through the door of the Tardis you spotted the front of the old Stark Tower and the men followed you out of the doorway and Peter turned seeing the ship vanish only to follow along at Loki’s side up the steps to the front entrance K9 had trotted through inspecting the security already stirring puzzled glances from the people inside. Though glancing up Peter inched closer to your side as Jack said, “Keep close, nobody fire.”

Loki’s eyes followed his to see the swarming grey winged creatures Ronan paid no mind to, focusing solely on you sending off his now freed ships to the coordinates you had given him to await your signal. Peter flinched closer to Loki’s side as a swooping Reaper left a screaming man alone when you had glanced its way. “I take it those are Reapers?”

Peter glanced between you, “Reapers?”

Jack said, “Steve broke time, they clean up the tears. Don’t attack them, now she’s here they will let us handle it.”

Straight through the lobby you passed the guard at the elevator and drew out your screwdriver and used it to shut the doors sending the lift up to the top science floor. Glass walls came into view and in the landing outside the lift you said in the grouping of guards hearing the radio chatter from downstairs, “No one is here.”

Peter looked at you wide eyed as your father smirked seeing the scientists take notice of the formerly clamoring guards looking you over as the head guard replied over his radio in a huff, “There’s no one here. Stop playing on the walkie.” Then turned with the other guards after him holstering their weapons.

The action making Peter plant his hand on your arm excitedly. In a bounce on his toes he said, “You did not just jedi mind trick them!! That is so cool!!”

Giggling to yourself you led the way through the hall eyeing each laboratory until you found the largest at the end with Steve inside holding a baby in his arm making your eyes flinch narrower a moment beside Howard Stark talking over a set of diagrams. Around you computers sparked up frying the hard drives on them all at K9’s mild emp he sent out understanding his part in the role having trotted through each lab and back to your side where you said to Ronan, “Ro, could you get the computer?”

He smirked firing a blast at the small computer filled room with panels from floor to ceiling off to his left leaving a huge hole in the building after Steve had shouted, “Who the hell are you?!” Holding his baby close.

With a smirk you moved closer as Peter said, “Who the-,” he turned to Loki, now with dagger drawn, “Is he serious?” Looking at Steve he said, “You know us.”

Steve scoffed and you said, “He would, if it was Steve.”

Howard said with hands raised inching back to his desk behind him, “I don’t want any trouble. Whoever you are. What do you want?”

“Just wanna wave my screwdriver around a bit.”

Lifting your screwdriver you switched it on aiming it at the toddler in his arms as Jack moved closer with gun raised, “In case you haven’t noticed we’re the cleanup crew. Now you not remembering Bluejay I can understand that, but you damn sure would remember me.” The fake toddler turned to goo dropping Howard’s jaw at Jack fired taking Steve’s head off leaving his sparking neck you circled with your screwdriver, “Got the link?”

“Yup,”

Your eyes switched to Howard now with gun drawn from a drawer in his desk saying, “You are going to tell me what’s going on!”

Smirking at him you replied, “Make me. Precious.” Around you the ship folded and Peter retracted his mask as you strolled to the control panel linking the signal from your screwdriver to the panel.

Peter unable to keep quiet said at Jack’s side, “You just blew his head off.”

Jack said, “I blew a cybertronic duplicate’s head off.”

Loki wet his lips and asked you, “And the baby?”

To which you replied, “Fake baby. Plastic variation combined with biological components.”

Ronan grumbled, “This is the goo people again isn’t it?”

“No, just humans somehow getting their hands on a similar formula.”

Peter, “Goo people? There are goo people?!” His shock turned to excitement and he smoothed his fingers through his hair, “Oh this is so cool! Giant flying dinosaurs in New York, goo people, Robots!!”

Loki chuckled saying, “Stark doesn’t know he’s HYDRA, does he?”

“Not yet.”

Ronan eyed the monitor and then glanced down to K9 asking, “The canine companion is new. Clever disguise.”

K9 replied in a wag of his tail, “Thank you,”

Peter’s jaw dropped and he crouched looking at K9 who eyed him curiously in return taking his vitals, “How did I not notice this?! Like the otters!!”

Smirking again you finished linking up the best landing place before Peter stood asking, “I have to ask, why’d you call him Precious?”

“We’re in Precious.”

Peter, “You named your ship, why? Lord of the Rings fan?”

“She chose and yes, I am. They all choose their own names. Very special ships our Tardis.”

Peter looked to Ronan, “Are you a time traveler too?”

Ronan replied flatly while you stepped off the platform, “Only in Bluejay’s company.”

Peter, “Bluejay…” his eyes turned to your back hurrying off after you and the others closing his mask again.

In the open doorway in the other side of the front entrance of a hidden bunker twenty miles under a frozen tundra you said after a glance at the console behind you signaling Weeping Angels were flocking to the other bases, “Fire away on the coordinates when you like, Ro.”

With a smirk he rumbled through his transmitter in his collar and while Jack took out one of the guards you drew a plasma ray from your hip signaling Loki to start blasting your way through the hall. “K9, front wall, blast it!” Through his open jaws a blast of light erupted taking out a giant hole in the wall appearing like a giant had eaten through it, teeth marks included. A blast from the shrink ray you had pulled out shrank the duo of Weeping Angels you then trapped in a mirrored box you pulled from your pocket. “Peter, those statues, don’t let them touch you.” You said as your father tossed up a handful of hovering tiny gnome figurines to help keep any more at a distance.

Through that moments peace you hopped with Peter firing off webs to help keep the numbers down and men at a distance. K9 hopped in after you and you rolled your eyes at the lights cutting off and alarm sounding with matching red flashes of lights. “How convenient.”

A toss of a squishy ball from your pocket you had pressed with your thumb had it lighting up brightly and hovering in front of you all and K9 asked, “Bluejay, should I deploy deterrent number 27?”

“That would be lovely, thank you.” Out of his jaws a gas releasing capsule was shot up into the ventilation system and from his pocket your father pulled out a mask he put on and you said in a glance at Peter, “It won’t affect you in the ship’s protective field.” Earning a confident nod from him.

Floor by floor you blasted with Ronan and K9 making sure to wipe out every computer and file cabinet along the way. Ronan especially focusing on the gnome trapped Weeping Angles with his hammer you gave K9 a shrink ray to shrink allowing them to be trapped inside the same manipulated mirrored box that sucked them inside. Floor by floor calming the Reapers more in their absence until you found the basement with a glass room inside of it.

Inside bearded Steve stood cradling a toddler with lips parting at your entrance stealing the attention of the HYDRA scientists in white coats readying the toxic gas emergency flush system making K9 rush for the system stating, “Toxic gas evacuation protocol initiated.” His jaws clamped onto the hose and his body gave off a whir making Steve’s lips part seeing the colored gas from the tanks drain leaving the room smelling like strawberries while Loki killed the men with a trio of doubles.

Steve scoffed and through the glass he could barely be heard saying, “Great, now I’m stuck. They had the codes!”

With a nod you holstered your gun and moved closer lifting your screwdriver, “No worries, I’ve got a screwdriver.”

Steve’s brows furrowed and he said, “It’s unbreakable glass, there’s no seam let alone a hinge.”

Jack moved closer making him scowl, “Oh now now, face like that you shouldn’t scowl.”

Steve, “You!” Then his gaze turned to Peter who gave him a quick wave, “What are you doing here? How did you even get here?!”

Over the sound of your screwdriver slicing a doorway out of the wall of the cage you heard Peter say, “Well, um, Mr Rogers, we came to rescue you.”

Steve, “How did you get here?! Loki! What did you do?!”

Loki smirked saying, “I am merely a passenger, here to witness the damage you caused.”

Steve looked at Ronan asking, “Do I even want to ask who you are?”

Ronan simply reached out his hammer over your shoulder to tap the glass letting it fall inwards and you said, “No gratitude, typical.”

Steve looked you up and down, “Screwdriver?”

You nodded and replied with a smirk, “Can’t help it, love a good tool.”

Steve stepped down out of the cage and sighed saying, “Whoever the hell you are-,”

Jack stepped closer, “Hey, manners! That’s my little girl you’re talking to!”

Steve scoffed saying, “That figures it. Like father-,” His words cut off as you raised the toddler from his grip and gave her a smiling gasp lifting her into the air making her giggle while he dropped at K9’s firing a dart into the side of his neck. Lowering her again you were all folded inside the Tardis after K9 dropped a beeping explosive device and she nestled against your chest allowing you to pat her back and step over Steve now groaning against the short term paralytic to reach the controls again.

Peter asked crouching down to pat Steve’s shoulder, “Is that like a knock out dart? Cuz, he’s still awake.”

K9, “I administered an electromagnetic disabler. Any and all tracking or mind control devices will permanently lose effect and deteriorate within his natural waste systems while also any and all toxins, venoms or genetic ailments administered by force or medication will be reversed. Not including the original so named ‘Super Serum’ introduced to his system in his youth.”

Peter, “Then why did he fall down?”

Jack chuckled patting Steve’s cheek, “Because if you’re rude you get hit in the neck and it short circuits the central nervous system for a few minutes, had you been nice you would have had a sore butt cheek.” He looked at K9 rubbing his head, “Good dog.”

K9 trotted away, “Affirmative,” to go sit beside Ronan on the couch he had chosen.

Peter sat down next to Steve while Loki smiled taking hold of the child you offered to him allowing you to bring out a screen to scan her with, “Let’s give you the once over.”

Your eyes narrowed and Jack said, “No trackers or any abnormalities,” a swipe of her palm he had just tried to put in her mouth fully on the screen and the dna was scanned, “No toxins, blood work looks fine.”

“Only markers of their special serum.”

With a grin Loki moved to sit by Ronan as you began to type on another panel in the ship saying, “Now, let’s see if we can find Peggy.” Steve groaned and you called out, “Oh hush we’re not going to hurt her.” With a grin you tapped into Howard Stark’s phone and followed his call out to the tropics you lined the ship up to land inside a hidden hangar.

Peter said, “She’s really nice you know.” Steve’s eyes shifted to him, “And this ship’s really cool.”

In another grumble Steve forced his upper half up onto his elbows and looked around, “How the hell did we get in here?”

Peter grinned, “It just sort of pops up around us when she calls it.”

Steve looked at you forcing himself to sit up saying, “Give me my daughter.”

“I think you should sit down.” You replied.

Steve, “I will take her-,”

“By force, I know. You’ve torn a hole in the universe by force. Same way you stole another man’s life, spouse and first born. Let’s just keep on that train of thought shall we? Or could we possibly skip the berating battle of back and forth and my laying you out again and just give in already and listen to what my demands are, hmm?”

His eyes narrowed and he looked you over, “You’ll lay me out? Oh I would pay to see that,” he said staggering up to his feet as you turned to rest a hand on the console and the other on your hip, “I’m up, now you are going to tell me why I should listen to you at all. And should a hold a hand back to make this fair on you?”

With a grin at the landing whir you raised your hand from the console to flip a switch in a step to move to the door saying, “Two reasons, but first, let’s go talk to Peggy, shall we?”

He scoffed again, “Even I can never know where Peggy is.”

Passing him up you said, in a rapid sweep of his legs easing your grip on the back of his neck dropping him onto his back again groaning loudly, “I’m surprised you can find your own head. Why Stark let you go back in time I have no clue. I’ve seen brighter bulbs in boxes. Tie as many limbs back as you like my kind make Thor and the Hulk look like carebears.”

Steve groaned rolling onto all fours, “Are you just going to insult me the whole time?”

“Depends,” you turned at the door while Peter hopped up to join the others at the door while Loki left a double inside the ship holding the baby, “How big a pain you’re going to make this.” Opening the door screams and gunfire sounded before your eyes lowered to see a group of men with guns aimed at you.

“Who are you?!” Their leader shouted fidgeting a finger on the trigger of his rifle.

“I’m your imaginary friend. I waited for you. You’ve forgotten me.” The men lowered their guns and as you filed out they all offered apologies making Steve’s eyes narrow for a moment.

Peter’s hand on his arm pulled him around the box before it vanished making him turn to you again, “What the, it’s a,” he looked up reading the banner across the top, “It’s a police box…How do you fly a Police box?” His eyes fell to your back and he followed after you only to flinch and pause at the snarl of a Reaper on top of a camouflaged truck, “Give me a gun!”

Peter lowered his arm saying, “No, she said not to touch them. They won’t hurt us.”

Steve looked around seeing others racing through the hangar shouting, “What about them?!”

Jack turned to shout back, “Hey!” Making Steve turn to face him, “They are after Peggy! You know why? Because she’s coated in traces of you! Traces of the person who tore a hole in the universe! So shut up and look at what you did!” Steve’s mouth dropped and he hurried after you.

“Peter, web the idiots please.”

Peter nodded, “On it.” Beginning to fire off webs at groups of men. Trying to avoid the Reapers who began to hover above you snarling at Steve who inched closer to Loki who was watching you use your screwdriver to unlock a thick metal door that began to roll up.

Steve, “You’re going to leave me unarmed?”

Ronan, “Ask again and I will rip your arms off child.” Aiming his hammer at the blaring alarm in the wall blowing a hole in it revealing more snarling Reapers he lowered his hammer at their heads turning to face your group passing through the hall then focused on a pair of Weeping Angels revealed when the wall crumbled more you trapped after his attacks.

More and more gunfire sounded through the halls you raced through until you rushed ahead with Peter, firing off bursts of lightning to make the men cower while Peter webbed the others. A particularly stubborn group of men who were reloading their rifles glared your way shouting, “Clear the area Ma’am!”

“Weapons down boys.”

“That was an order!” Another shouted and Steve huffed seeing you lift your screwdriver making their guns disassemble themselves dropping their jaws.

“I don’t do orders.” His eyes locked with yours and you said, “Tell your men to stand down.”

His pupils dilated and he followed your order making Steve ask, “How are you doing that?” Looking at Peter he asked, “How is she doing that?”

Peter lowly said, “She’s kind of a low key Jedi.” Making the super soldier look you over again as you crossed the room only to see you groan and flinch back from the hall at another gunshot firing.

Into Jack’s arms you landed when he lunged to pull you back and pressed your hand to the hand now covering the bloody spot on your side and said, “K9,”

K9, “On it, Bluejay.” Loudly he barked and faked growling at the crowd of Reapers hovering above him to throw off the gunmen only to turn and shoot off an electrical dart taking out the soldiers then turned to you stating, “The path is clear, Bluejay.”

In a huff you straightened up and joined your father in walking into and through the hall following electrical darts from K9 and Peter swinging from the roof handling the disarming of more men until you heard Peggy shouting, “Steve!” her hand swatted at the man beside her lowering his arm saying, “Guns down!” Her eyes turned to Steve, who hurried over to hug her only to step back at her awkward squirm away from his display of affection seemingly not being just in public by his painful step back. “What are you doing here?” Her head turned to the man beside her patting her arm, “What?!”

He answered pointing up at the hovering Reapers circling under the ceiling they had torn open, “They stopped swooping.”

To which you explained, “Because you stopped shooting at them.” Stealing a glance at Loki, whose gaze was fixed on the spot of blood visible through your open jacket spreading down to the waistband of your jeans. His eyes flinched up to yours feeling your gaze on him then down to your wound again when your gaze rose to hear the bickering of the impatient Reapers offering a deal to seal the time wound if they could just eat Steve then and there.

Peggy asked Steve, “What are you doing here? How did you even get here? And your beard? And hair…” her eyes narrowing looking him over wondering how he had grown the long beard and ponytail worth of hair in the two months she had been gone. “How did you find me this hangar is classified. Stark just called me not an hour ago. Said you were decapitated, and the baby-.”

Steve, “I was brought here. To find you.” His hand reached out and he said, “These creatures-,”

“Reapers,” you named them again. “Unless you mean the statues, they’re Weeping Angels.”

He nodded saying, “Reapers, were where I was held too.”

Peggy’s brows furrowed, “Held? What are you talking about?”

Steve, “HYDRA, they took us at Tasha’s christening.”

Peter grinned murmuring to himself, “Aww, you named her after Nat. She’ll love that.”

Peggy’s head shook, “No they didn’t. I was there.”

In a huff you shifted your weight on your feet starting to feel a tingling in your toes. “But you don’t remember the drive home.” parting her lips as she looked you over, “And since then you haven’t seemed to be able to find the urge to stay home more than a week at a time with Steve or your little girl.”

Peggy defensively fired back, “None of that is your business.”

“Oh it is, they say it is.” You said pointing up at the Reapers snarling at her and Steve again making her step closer to him then look to you again. “See, I’ll make this simple, HYDRA took Steve and since then has been leeching his mind for any and all information they could find about the future while leaving a robot double and a toddler duplicate in their place. Only, you could tell the difference, couldn’t you?”

Her lips parted and you said, “Because with their tech they could only do so much, you know them better than anyone else. Now, one thing you have to know, time travel is a fickle thing, when done wrong, like Stevie boy here you tear a hole in the universe, which calls the Reapers to go and clean things up. When they are called I am sent in to try and clean up the mess before they end up wiping whole cities off the map, because that is what they will do, they will kill you and everyone in their way to blot out the cities you have touched since he came back in time. Now, out of kindness I am going to let you say goodbye.”

Peggy, “Goodbye?”

Steve, “What do you mean goodbye?”

You looked to Loki whispering into his ear after his move closer to your side and he nodded sending his double out to bring Tasha into your view making Steve step forward only to stop at your gun drawn at his head. “Peggy, you have a choice, because I know what Steve will choose, either they both come back to live in the future and receive monitored visitations with you monthly or,”

Steve, “You can’t do this!” He said only to halt in another try to reach you at Peter’s webbing his arms at the louder snarls of the Reapers at his step closer. “Peter!”

Peter peered up again, “I’m sorry. They’ll kill you and little Tasha.”

Steve, “You can’t force me back again!”

You turned the gun in your hand to Tasha and his jaw dropped, “NO!” Peggy shouted, “You said they were here for us. If you don’t take them, how many die?”

K9 replied for you, “593,773,895,” after a moment he added, “Correction, 593,773,896 with another woman in labor as we speak.”

“Everyone you came into contact with since his return. Either I take them or every one of them dies.”

Peggy, “And I get to see them? Every month? For the rest of my life?”

Steve, “Peg-,”

Peggy shook her head at him then nodded, “Then take them.”

Holstering your gun after lowering your gun you said, “Finally, someone with a brain.” You nodded your head at Tasha and said, “Come say goodbye.”

She nodded hurrying over tearfully folding the girl in her arms peppering kisses across her cheeks whispering sweet sentiments and promises while you looked to Steve, “I will never forgive you for this.”

“Feeling’s mutual Stevie. I’m the one who has to hear the universe screaming out in agony until the tears are mended.”

Loki caught his eyes when Peggy came closer and he sliced the webbing apart saying, “We call them the Frey, guardians of time. Very old, very powerful, not to be agitated. Say goodbye to your wife, be glad you get to walk away with your child safely.”

A few minutes had passed and after a far warmer goodbye from Peggy Steve held Tasha and stepped closer to your group as K9 stated, “Within two to three business days you will be contacted for your first visitation to be scheduled.”

Peggy looked to you, “What if I’m working. We don’t have phones handy always, or steady addresses.”

Jack said, “No need, not that sort of contact. Oh, fair warning, he’ll be legally dead by morning and the world won’t remember your daughter, you will though. It can be, harsh at first, might want to take some time off. Not the easiest to bounce back from. Oh, they won’t remember the Reapers either. Most of them at least.”

Peggy, “Will I?”

“That’s up to you, some people choose to forget, some do out of shock. Get some rest, you’ll need it.” The ship folded around you again and Steve turned as Peter did, once again taking in the outer disguise compared to the inside. Stepping to your left you moved to your father’s side resting a hand on his arm drawing his eyes straight to you.

Jack, “Pumpkin?”

Steve, “How is it so big on the inside? But, it’s a box..”

Peter, “It has a pool, and a waterslide!”

Loki came closer to you as Ronan curiously shifted your jacket stating at the trail of blood now down to your thigh, “You are wounded.”

Your head shook for a moment and you said, “Not fatal, it’ll mend.”

Jack, “Pumpkin, how serious?”

“I need to sleep.”

Steve came closer asking, “They shot you?”

“Perks of the job when chasing after idiots,”

Jack wet his lips then asked Loki, “Asgard have an army?”

Loki nodded, “Yes, why? Will we be under attack?”

Jack replied lowly, “The energy it’ll take for her to heal, anyone catching it could take it as a welcome sign to come raid for a power.”

Loki, “We’ll protect her.”

Ronan, “My ships are secured in the beam, we are safe to travel back again and will reinforce the guard. None will cross our lines.”

Peter asked in a panicked tone, “What’s going on?”

Easing your arm around your father’s shoulders you said, “My legs are going numb.”

He lifted you up and said as your head drooped to his shoulder, “Precious, protocol G7, Asgard.” He looked to Loki again carrying you off to your usual seat saying, “Thank you. Should just take a week. Two at the most for her to be up and ticking again.”

Loki nodded, “Of course, anything special she’ll require?”

Jack, “You have a steam room?”

Loki nodded, “Yes.”

“Steam room with tea leaves should help heaps.”

Steve looked at the lit up column asking, “What are we doing?”

Loki was already using his watch to link with the system back on Asgard to have them prep the healing steam room while your father removed your heels after setting you on his lap murmuring to calm you and let you drift off to sleep in his arms. His eyes locked with Steve’s and he said, “Jaqi is going to heal herself and then we will take you to Stark Tower.”

Steve, “They won’t have questions?”

Jack, “Maybe. Depends on how deeply they were effected. Most will be confused at how you went back in time and came back with a baby. Tasha, will have a new birth record in the future and full supply of documentation printed for her by the time we get you back again, Jaqi knows how to work that program better than I do. She will grow up happy and healthy with medical marvels to help keep her safe as she does, albeit a bit odd with the whole mother trapped in a different time and all.”

Steve, “So that’s what you do? You time travel? That’s why we ran into you?”

Jack’s head tilted a moment as Loki came to sit beside you eyeing the bleeding wound dripping onto your father’s lap between his fingers and palms. “Among other things.”

Peter asked, “So, how old are you?”

Jack, “That’s, complicated..”

Steve, “Not really, when were you born?”

Jack, “51st century.” Dropping their jaws, “I know, I look great for my age.”

Steve, “Was not gonna say that. At all.”

Jack, “Ya, but you were thinking it.” He glanced at Loki saying, “She’ll be fine, just needs to sleep it off. Missed the organs just grazed a nerve cluster.”

Loki, “Odin healed like that. Unbreakable sleep. The tea?”

Jack, “Could cut it in half hopefully.”

Steve, “Till then, we’re just stuck on Asgard?” Loki looked at him and he said, “No offence. But if I’m being banished from my wife-,”

Ronan cut him off, “Is the child necessary? The infant is well behaved on its own. Surely time would be satisfied with just his death and her adoption.” Making Steve hug her closer to his chest.

Loki, “Unfortunately Jaqi has allowed him to live.” Making Ronan huff, “Though I am certain the Bifrost-,”

Steve cut him off, “I am not teleporting my baby.”

Loki, “Then it seems you may have to endure a stop on my planet, and take the chance to mind your appearance again before we return.”

Steve, “What’s wrong with how I look?”

Peter pursed his lips a moment then said, “You kinda look like Tom Hanks from Castaway, but less skinny.” Steve looked him over and said, “Come on, I’ll show you the waterslide.” Pulling his free arm to show him the way distracting him on a mini exploring tour until the ship landed and Loki led the way out while the pair were shown out by K9.


	16. Chapter 16

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Use of poem by Atticus

“Wow,” Peter remarked peering up at Asgard on the courtyard at the edge of the Bifrost, “I thought Thor said-,”

Loki, “Thor hasn’t checked in since Hela was killed. Mother has been working hard to guide repair on our kingdom.” He motioned his hand to the side keeping his other on your dangling wrist and palm, “This way.”

Steve, “Why?”

Loki looked at him, “You aren’t the only one who would like to go back and change their decisions. For us who are old enough to know better and who is watching, it takes time to heal from our wounds and regrets.”

Steve, “Hard to imagine you have regrets.”

Loki scoffed, “Spend time getting to know me unattached to my entrance into your lives in New York and you might be surprised I am comprised of being more than Thor’s brother.”

Steve, “No doubt Stark loves that argument.”

Loki, “Wouldn’t know, moved in with Jaqi few months back.”

Steve pointed at you, “Jaqi? Great, psychopath and a time traveler under one roof.”

Jack said, “That’s not very nice to say. Jaqi might have to be detached at times but she’s no psychopath. No matter who her mother is.” He glanced at Steve who raised a brow at Loki, and Jack said, “Oh come on, open your eyes, Loki is a boy scout compared to us.”

Steve, “No doubt, she aimed a gun at a baby.”

Ronan ensured his ships were fanning out around the planet and joined you saying, “After she emptied the clip into her pocket, child.”

Steve, “Why do you keep calling me that?!”

Ronan replied flatly, “You whine like one.” Peter chortled then glanced up at the lines of guards who approached lining the wall with two opening a doorway for you bowing their heads and greeting Loki as King making Steve’s lips part. Ronan caught his stare and stated, “For being supposedly close to Prince Thor you know little of his culture. Even I am aware Queen Frigga is merely Regent for King Loki.”

Steve, “Then why were you on Earth?”

Loki, “I was trapped. Rocket doesn’t trust me on his ship, we had an unfortunate accident the last time we crossed paths. A bit sore on allowing me passage since.” Steve pointed at you again and he stated, “She is not my ship and until recently she was stranded on earth as well.”

Peter glanced back seeing the ship still sitting there locked asking, “The ship isn’t hiding?”

Jack, “No need here.”

Bustling into the hall with supplies for your new guest quarters Asgardians eyed your bleeding body slumped against your father’s chest unconscious on the stroll through the golden and marble palace all the way to the bathhouses for the public guests. The King’s hand locked in yours added to the source of the urgency to the unannounced arrival with little to no warning.

Part of their spa area was already filled with Healers and two of them were adding tea leaves to a boiling pot over the stack of steaming rocks. Right to the bench in the center you were taken and Jack said, “You’re gonna want to step out fellas.” Loki was the first to step out guiding the Healers with him into the hall to turn and watch. Emptying your pockets into his while Loki and Peter’s eyes traveled to your parted lips in a golden mist freeing exhale as Steve eyed the golden cloud glimmering around your splayed our palm dangling off the bench.

Once he was certain you were in a steady position he grabbed the pot and dumped it over the steaming rocks leaving it on the rack as he guided the Healers and Prince alike back stating, “There you go, Pumpkin.”

The door closed between you and through the cloud of steam a faint golden glow was spotted swirling around your deeply inhaling body. The following exhale however had an explosion of golden light crashing into each wall making the Healers and Loki flinch that suddenly in what seemed to be a muffled groan Loki asked, “Do we go in?”

Jack shook his head, “Best give her some time to soak it in some more, then I can change her out of those clothes and get her into a bed to sleep it off.”

Steve, “And how long will that take?” Jack’s head turned seeing the silently hovering Reaper watching him and Tasha from the corner of the hall ceiling.

Ronan, “They will not harm you under her watch. They can sense she is healing.”

Steve, “She, do I even want to know why they trust her?”

Jack glanced at him, “That’d be from me. I’m a fixed point in time she’s half mine they have a similar resonance in the time stream.” Steve’s brow inched up and he said, “You know like whale songs? We each give off our own through time, hers is close to their frequency, not the same language but they can charades it out to talk.”

Peter smirked up at one of them, “I think they sort of look like hammer head sharks over whales.”

Loki stole an amused glance at the teen replying, “Well maybe when she’s healed she can show you some space whales if you ask nicely.”

Peter’s mouth dropped open, “Space whales?!”

Loki, “Apparently Fantasia was not far off.”

Jack nodded, “Ooh, or even the creature inside the moon. Gorgeous.”

Peter, “In the moon?! Our moon?!”

Jack nodded whispering in a lean, “It’s an egg.” Making the teen squeak with excitement.

A held up projection screen from one of the Healers had the woman wielding it gasping as she saw your twin beating hearts easily through your back after your roll over to aid the bullet freeing itself from the nerve bundle it was lodged in. “The Frey truly have two hearts..” she murmured to herself.

Leaning in Steve’s brows furrowed, “Two hearts?!” Though Peter’s attention shifted to your skull clearly seeing your brain formed different than any human’s he had seen before glowing with flashes of glimmering gold throughout.

Jack chuckled, “See, how many psychopaths do you know have two hearts?”

Steve looked at him and Peter pointed to the brightest spot on your back asking, “What’s that?” Yet in his blink the light faded and he said, “Where’d it go?”

Ronan, “That was her wound.”

From behind he group a familiar voice sounded, “My King.”

Valkyrie had came around the corner and with a wide grin she took the task of escorting Peter and Steve around at Loki’s stating, “Ah, Valkyrie, If you wouldn’t mind escort around our mortals. And do see if you can do something about the largest child. At least the smell, if possible see if something can be done to make him more presentable.”

Steve’s brows dropped and he then turned and followed Val in her chuckling path away Peter was nearly skipping along at her side capturing video of on his phone. “Of course.”

Ronan curiously joined Sif off to inspect the room that would be prepped for you to inspect the security points they could set up around it. In Loki’s silence Jack said, “She’s tougher than she looks right now, bullet just clipped a bundle of nerves, or she’d be able to patch it up with my nannogens.”

Loki, “I know. Just trying to word how to explain our connection to Mother. We haven’t exactly shared that conversation yet.”

Jack chuckled saying, “You could always start with companion. Nice stepping stone to build on later for family when it gets more serious.”

“Loki,” the King’s head turned and his brow dropped and with a grin he turned to hug his mother mumbling sweetly to her. His eyes staying on her in her step back and upward glance at the growing number of Reapers, “I am glad you have returned, though,”

Again your body shifted and a slumbering sigh was heard making Jack smirk saying, “Now, time for bed.” Entering the door making Loki’s eyes narrow at the glimmer on your side seen before the screen was shut off as Jack lifted you again.

Loki replied to his mother, “They will not harm us as long as none strike at them. Merely guards ensuring Steve and his child are returned to the proper time.”

Jack exited the room again seeing K9 with a bag of clothes for you and nodded his head, “Thanks again Your Majesty,” surprisingly non flirtatious at all to Loki’s wonder, “Do apologize for our prisoner though, always was a wet blanket to situations he didn’t plan.”

Frigga shook her head stating in a glance at Loki’s hand brushing a strip of curls from your face, “I will show you to your suite.”

Jack, “Thank you. Shouldn’t be imposing long, day or so napping and right as rain feels like. Usually she feels prickly if it’ll take longer.”

Straight to the big towel coated bed he carried you and laid you across it helping the Healers in undressing you, him in your upper half while they started with your heeled boots. Loki and Frigga stood aside while the same Healer stole another chance to scan you for your full makeup now considerably less glimmering internally showing signs you were settling with a final golden misty exhale. Down to your black boy shorts and bra you laid while Jack passed the shorts to the ladies and cradled your head to lift you up to wiggle your tank top on you.

Loki’s eyes however sank to the watercolor blue feather on your right hip with a trail of 12 blue bird silhouettes in flight up your side clearly marking your centuries alive so far making him smirk at the reason for the glow on your side. Down the shirt was wiggled and in a scoop of his arm under your back the women were able to slide up your shorts for Jack to settle your shoulder on his lap easing the task of combing and drying your hair he propped you up against his folded legs to braid your hair.

Frigga tried not to chuckle as she said, “It appears you are used to this.”

Jack glanced at her with a chuckle of his own saying, “Oh you should have seen her as a little girl. Nonstop then just out for nearly a full day. Such an adorable little rag doll. Loves to sleep.”

Loki said, “Yes, she has rigged her furniture to spring her up if she won’t stand at her alarm.”

Jack let out a laugh, “Oh I suggested that, never thought she’d use it, but she does burn herself at both ends, or did, when Precious was grounded.”

Ronan entering from the balcony stated, “No signs of any ships on our scanners so far. Though we have noticed a cluster of asteroids have fled.”

Jack glanced up, “Asteroids?”

Ronan stated, “That is what their ion trails indicate.”

Jack mumbled, “Hmm, must be those kangaroo thieves again.” Lowering you back down onto the sheet the Healers pulled the towels off of. “At least they learned their lesson when Corsair had to regenerate last time.”

Frigga, “Corsair?”

Jack, “Ah, Jaqi’s godmother,” his brows scrunched in a glance at the year again on his watch and nodded, “Yes, still a she for another two centuries. She’s, well, let’s just say Jaqi’s gotten her fair share of devil may care from her as well.”

Loki, “Another Frey intake it?”

Jack chuckled to himself ensuring you were covered with a pillow poofed up under your head, “One the wildest. Went way back with her Mother.” And in a semi dreamy sigh he added, “And me, back in the Dark Tyensondor Ages on Langmern 7.”

.

_“Who is this whose eyes even now sparkle through me like glass,_

_Stealing pieces of my soul as I stare through blurry shapes,_

_Her rippled laugh sends shivers down my spine with warm comfort,_

_A familiarity,_

_As if I’d spent a life with her already in a dream._

_It was as if the universe had written this at the beginning of time,_

_And watched now high on clouds as it unfolded at last,_

_Smiling at my doubt, _

_As if there was any chance I could not love this girl for the rest of time.”_

In the middle of Steve being cleaned up and Peter’s avid search of the rest of the kingdom with Valkyrie, Jack left Loki alone to freshen up himself allowing the King a time alone with you. Already stirring he was content to leave your side knowing you would be conscious by dinner time, at least for a few hours, and wouldn’t be long as Precious was finicky about having anyone inside her while under this protocol marked you as injured. A poem from the pocket sized book Loki had borrowed from your collection stirred a grin across his lips at how it seemed to fit his feelings perfectly.

“Good thing we’re in the present or that could have sent ripples in time, Prince-,” in a deep sigh you added through a shift of your shoulders urging him to lower his feet from the bed to stand and adjust your pillows under you adoring a lingering glimmer of gold in your glowing purple eyes. “Though I can’t call you Prince can I?”

Grinning at you he answered taking his seat again, “On Midguard you may call me what you will. Here, I may be King, however as well call me what you desire, Dearest.”

A breathy giggle from you escaped and you replied, “Then I will call you molten fudge cake,” making him chuckle in return, “I always crave chocolate after healing.”

Reaching out, with the book set aside, his hand cradled yours, “Are you in any pain?”

“Physically no.”

“You are ailing still?” Worry filling his eyes.

“Time is still screaming, it is so loud when I am healing.” Your eyes followed his lifting your hand to press a kiss to your knuckles.

From the doorway you heard a deep groan turning your gazes to Steve, now freshly trimmed of his ponytail and more than half of his beard wearing a tunic and trousers with a pair of boots. “Pardon me while I find a bucket.”

“You cleaned up well I imagine. Thankfully Asgardians wear looser clothing than humans do. Give you a chance to breathe without tearing a shirt for once.”

“Ha, ha. My sides are bleeding.” Steve walked closer making Loki lower your still joined hands to the bed while straightening up to hear what he had to say, “This is not fair for Tasha.”

“It wasn’t fair to George either. Or Peggy, or their children. And she prefers Sky Dancer not Tasha.”

Steve blinked at you, “Her name is Tasha, don’t try to be funny.”

“I’m not, you’re the one who doesn’t speak baby.”

Steve’s eyes narrowed, “Baby?”

You nodded, “I also speak Dinosaur. And you would think that was a joke but even after waking up decades after your era you still have an imagination the size of a walnut.”

“Imagination-,” Steve huffed, “I just wanted to change things, for the better. All those illnesses-, the children-,”

“I know. You think I prefer to be the one to have destroyed the records of the vaccines and medications? No. But each discovery has a price and pathway to get there. Marie Curie for one, you think I enjoyed having to watch her die of radiation poisoning? No, she was the only one who could match me for skill in charades and had a wicked curve on ski ball. This choice is not fair, but life is,” his lips parted and you cut him off, “Because it is equally cruel to all in varying ways.” His lips clenched and you said, “You asked about my hearing time. Would you like to hear why the Reapers are after you?” A pat of the bed at your side had him sigh and tentatively draw closer to you and sit down with Tasha napping against his chest. Reaching up his eyes followed your hand then darted to your eyes at the settling of your fingertips across the side of his forehead.

Deep pulsing beats now laced with agonizing wails had Steve’s now wide tear filled eyes on you after his hand had swatted yours away. His break of contact leaving Loki’s mind echoing on the same sound he heard through his hold of your hand mingled with the cries and chirps of the Reapers melding into a song that had Steve glancing up at them in their now unheard tries to sing time back to a peaceful thump so they could sleep again. His eyes lowered to yours and he said, “That is-, you can still hear that?”

“I have, for years now. I can hear planets turning and stars ignite and crackle through time’s song, what I feel however, is far greater and harder to share. Simply that all of my being is fighting against hurling you from the tallest tower, it’s almost magnetic, not drawing me to you but away. That is what those who break time feel like, similar to a force field of sorts, chaotic energy circling you all. All of the Frey simply want peace in time.”

Steve, “Will I always be like this?”

“No, not when we get you back. Then you may not even remember this.”

“Tasha, she won’t, I won’t lose her?”

You shook your head, “No, in fact you will start to feel memories of your life and visitations by the time we get back to the present once we have dropped you a few minutes after you had gone back in time.”

“Wait, I’m going back to 2018? Won’t that-,”

You shook your head, “Let me handle the logistics, and if your arm is tired no doubt a crib could be wrangled up.”

You glanced at Loki and he gave a weak chuckle, “Yes, we have a nanny here who minds the young of our Lords while meetings convene.”

Steve, “I don’t want to leave her alone. For the bath was hard enough.”

Loki, “If change your mind, simply ask, a crib will have been added to your guest bedroom.”

Steve looked you over, “HYDRA won’t come for her again?”

“Oh I highly doubt they would dare try again. They will not remember entirely, however they will feel the better for choosing to grant you a wide berth.”

Loki glanced at you as it clicked in his mind, “This is why Bucky told Stark not to bother you.”

“Exactly. He felt the ripples through HYDRA, and knew when Bluejay is mentioned or spotted to run, far away.”

Steve, “Careful, almost makes it sound like you enjoy people fearing you.”

“Never said fear of me. But a bit of fear is not a bad thing. When people are fearless things get wobbly.”

“You seem fearless,”

Making you smirk and reply, “Trick of the Frey, confident smile, never let them see you terrified.”

Steve lowly asked, “What could terrify you?”

In a deepening of your smirk your eyes turned to the doorway Peter popped up in beaming brightly, “You’re awake!” Rushing over to leap onto your bed to kneel by your knee, “I have to say, your brain is huge!”

“Thank you! I rarely get compliments on the size of my brain outside of non corporeal beings and those intelligence based mating sea horses Tesarna Cordnum on the edge of Frump.”

Steve asked condescendingly, “You can speak to sea horses too?”

Ronan replied, “I have seen sea horses from Tera, they are not the same creatures. Nearly a cubit in size difference and the largest ones can screech so loud that you lose color receptors and the ability to discern llamas.”

Steve shook his head, “I am not touching that with a ten foot pole.”

Peter, “Are they dangerous? I mean, llamas, why wouldn’t you be able to see them?”

“Not dangerous, per se.”

Ronan replied, “As long as you don’t hit them with,” you lifted a finger pressing it to your lips making him chuckle lowly with a nod. “Just no experimenting on llamas. They are very old and have even less patience than I do.” Making Peter’s grin deepen even more.

Steve, “Are they aliens?”

“They’re the oldest.”

Loki, “Ah, so that’s where they hid.” You let out a giggle, “Sneaky, very sneaky.”

Peter, “Hid, from who?”

“Exactly,” you whispered his head tilted, “No one knows, but if you ask very nicely they’ll cough up a glowworm for you.”

Loki, “Magical things glowworms. No telling what they can do, what they could do.”

Steve, “So they’re like genies then?”

For a moment your lips pursed, “I suppose. In a way. If you want to oversimplify their confounding capabilities by comparing them to blue creatures bound to lamps.” Looking to Peter you said, “Oh, if you wanted me to search for that slinky of yours I’ll need to tap your memory.”

He nodded, “Ok, how do we do that?”

“Fairly simple, just focus on the last time you remember it,” Reaching up your fingers tapped his head and following clues of the Slinky like easter eggs you found the last memory with it and soaked in the time and place. “Thank you.”

Jack entered the doorway with a wide grin, “Ah, awake just in time.”

You smiled at him and accepted his help up when he reached the bed to guide you all to the dinner in the King’s dining hall where you enjoyed the meal prepped for you. The drooping of your eyes halfway through dessert however found you being carried back off to bed. Giddily after having found a series of holographic variations of chess games in the library and several champions of the sport K9 trotted into your room to hop up onto your bed stretching out against your legs for the night.

On a stroll with Ronan, Jack went, while Peter sprawled across his own bed hoping to get ample rest for the following day whatever it would bring. Steve finally gave in and accepted any sleep he could take while Tasha slept beside him in a bassinette and Loki reluctantly chose between staying at your side or his mother’s and had done like he used to falling asleep as she had in her sitting room on opposite ends of the same couch.

Inching up onto your elbow you turned your head to the open balcony in the creeping sunrise. Shifting leaves lured you to the view and onto your feet you rose feeling your curls drop like a blanket around you. Onto the tiled stone balcony you stepped into the warm breeze shifting the rainbow of leaves in the canopy above your head. It wasn’t Gallifrey but Asgard certainly had a beauty all its own, slowly being bathed in the golden fire flickering off their rising sun. Losing your thoughts to taking in each detail of all within your view The light filtered through the colored leaves, bathing the world in soft light.


	17. Chapter 17

Silently across the floor in his much missed pair of slippers Loki strode crossing your room in flossing pajama pants and a long tuning hanging to his knees with the sleeves he had pulled up to keep from fidgeting with the buttons securing the ends of them. From the doorway he admired the lights cascading around you and he asked, “Did you sleep well?”

Shifting on your feet his eyes met yours in his step closer hearing, “Feels like it. Did you?”

“Not much. Mother and I caught up. A breakfast is being prepared, I have already woken our guests and captives.”

“Well Steve won’t have to worry long. I can take him back after we eat.”

Loki, “So soon?”

“It would be a quick trip no need to spoil your relaxing. I could pop there and back, grant you more time to spend with her. Peter seems to be up for some exploring so I can take Steve and Ronan home and we can see where we’re taking him off to first. Seems he needs some adventures of his own after being lost for five years.”

Loki smirked leaning in, “So much for that pretend cold exterior, your warm heart is showing.” With a cupping of your cheek his lips met yours for a lingering kiss.

Brushing your nose against his through his smirk you murmured, “What can I say, I gravitate towards misfits lost in time.”

“He is charming.” Another kiss was stolen and the hand on your cheek lowered to tangle in yours. “Something close to a younger brother at times. As long as I get to go I wouldn’t mind traveling with you.”

“I would only ever leave you behind if you asked.”

“I would never ask.” With a tilt of his head he showed you to the others waiting in the dining room around the same golden table to fill your seats as Frigga did the same smiling at her son just now releasing your hand to ease your chair in for you.

Steve across the table said, “Morning.” Adjusting Tasha in his arm accepting the bowl of pureed food and a small spoon from a servant to feed her with. “Sleep well?”

“I did, thank you. Yourself?”

Steve’s brow inched up, “Oh, you mean knowing I was being held captive on this planet, taken from my wife and home.”

Loki murmured, “Sounds familiar.” Making Steve look at him with a brow raised.

“I realize you’re angry with me but don’t take it out on the Asgardians. They have been nothing but kind to you and all of us under these circumstances. I’ve explained why you are being sent back to 2018, I’m not going to hash it out again, Peggy understands the rules and agreed to the terms. With her usual schedule nothing really would change, every three weeks without seeing her girl so she can work to her heart’s content and you handle Tasha’s care. Nothing really changes, you get your family and the future advantages.”

Steve, “Everything changes, what happens to past me? Do I just die again? Now Peggy’s a Widow and can’t ever talk about Tasha or me?”

“You are divorced, and Peggy will get through. In her job she is not meant to boast on her family anyways. However, Tasha will be said to be in your care living with distant relatives and a boarding school after that. All easily explained.”

Steve, “I don’t have family.”

Lifting your fork you stabbed a slice of the diced potato scramble, “Now you’re just being obstinate.”

Steve, “What if I don’t agree to the divorce?”

“Don’t need to you’ve already signed the papers,” parting his lips, “Now you can go back to flirting with Peggy’s niece.” Smirking behind his glass Peter took a sip at Steve’s brows furrowing in your first bite mentally commenting ‘ooh burrrn’ on your verbal battle.

Steve, “I didn’t know who she was.”

Jack smirked, “Welcome to the Time Traveler’s dilemma, to flirt or not to flirt. Choose your bed fellows carefully, could turn out to be a relative of someone you loved, or hated, or tried to eat you.”

Peter asked with wide eyes, “People try to eat you?”

Jack chuckled, “I don’t make a lot of friends in my line of work. Threats of being eaten aren’t common, but not unheard of. Don’t worry, we won’t take you anywhere too dangerous.”

Steve asked with feigned excitement, “Just when are we off on this adventure?”

“You are headed home after breakfast,” making his eyes snap to yours that were now on Ronan. “I can take you back as well.”

Ronan nodded his head, “That would be very kind of you. This was fun. I cannot wait to see what ripples out of our adventure this time.”

Steve, “I thought it would take days.”

“I thought you were loathing another moment on this prison of a planet.”

Steve stole a glance at Frigga and sighed, “Your planet is not a prison.”

Frigga chuckled to herself, “Oh I take no offence, you are not the first to feel that way about our planet. And if I might, you should have faith in the Frey, they have not steered us wrong. A difficult entanglement now and you just might find a greater peace from it. I understand medical reasons were why you returned, to help your people, and now your child will be safe from such issues.”

Steve, “But Peggy’s other children-,”

“All live long lives, you know, you met them at her retirement home remember? There are limits on saving the world. You meant well, we know that, but you are a bit of an idiot and fell into a trap.”

“You say that as if you’ve never fallen into a trap.” He fired back giving Tasha another spoonful of the food.

Your giggle however had him glance up to hear you say while slicing your pancakes, “Usually my traps are whole planets locked in life and death situations. Most often involving children.” That had his brow inch up, “You aren’t the only bleeding heart at this table.”

Steve teased back, “How exactly does that work with you having two hearts?”

“Makes me bigger than you. Obviously.”

Steve glanced at Ronan, “So where did she find you?”

Ronan, “I was destroying Xandar, this puny group of mortals tried to stop me.”

Steve looked at you, “You pulled him from a battle field?”

“Technically it used to be a botanical garden until his pod crashed into it.”

Steve, “Why would you attack a botanical garden? You hate gardens?”

Peter, “Were the animals ok?”

You shook your head, “No animals in their gardens,”

Ronan stated, “They believe to cage animals is another form of subjugation, and yet they still steal and enslave countless Braxians and Crovux to mind the cores of their power mills knowing it melts them from the inside out. The most efficient for the tiny access panels are their children.”

Steve, “So you are saving the children?”

Ronan locked his eyes on him, “That is how the first enslavement of my people began. We have a longstanding alliance with their people, to abandon their children would be unthinkable.”

Steve, “So you attack the whole planet?”

Ronan, “After evacuating the power mills first yes. We managed to save five thousand children we will return home once they have been medically cleared.”

Peter, “Aww, just baby saving all over the galaxy.”

Questions from the teen bubbled out through the rest of the meal until the plates were cleared and you showed Ronan and Steve back to your ship. The pair curiously taking in final glimpses of the city while you locked the Kree ships in your beam again and cracked the dials to the right date while the system was printing our Tasha’s paperwork for you. That brought Steve closer to inspect each of them, “Divorce papers, birth certificate, social security card, complete with dates to take her for her vaccinations.”

Steve, “These are legal?”

You nodded, “Yup, part of the job. Now she can get into schools and all that fun stuff as she gets older.”

Steve, “Growing older is not fun.”

“Maybe not for you. Give some looser clothes a try. Or a Dad bod.” You said cranking the last dial and lowering a lever parking the softly whirring ship. In a trot down the steps from the control panel you said, “But she is going to have a blast, I’m sure of it.” At the door you eased open he followed you and in the middle of a park you opened the door and nodded your head easing the folded papers into his pocket, “Just relax, you’ll do fine. You have friends here.” In a wink at Tasha you said, “Have fun Sky Dancer. Keep this one in line.”

.

Out he stepped after a head nod at Ronan and looked around taking in the familiar park with ducks in the lake making him turn and point to them saying, “You wanna see the ducks Tasha?” Moving closer at her giggling clap while you closed the door behind them seeing the Reapers fading away at the returned peaceful hum of the time stream being mended.

“What the hell was he thinking? We had a plan. You go back, get the stones and then you come back!”

A pat on Sam’s arm had him falling silent and following Bucky’s head nod, “Hey Steve!”

Turned around the blonde gave a greeting head bob and Sam muttered, “Ok, why’s he got a baby?” Crossing the grassy field he asked when they met up, “Hey buddy, who, um, who ya got there?” His eyes lingering on the blonde haired blue eyed girl nearly his double.

Steve, “This is Tasha,” the name made the pair struggle not to smirk, “My little girl.”

Bucky, “You had a baby, no wonder you’re late! Where’s the mom?”

Steve wet his lips, “Well, Peggy,”

Bucky nodded and rubbed his face, “Peggy.”

Steve, “I was told I had to come back, tore a hole in time by staying.”

Sam smirked asking, “So she gets the house you get the baby?”

Steve’s head bobbed to the side, “Something like that. How late am I?”

Bucky, “An hour, Thor’s helping the braniac squad try to get you back.”

Sam, “More importantly,” he asked looking over his long tunic, trousers and boots, “What are you wearing?”

Steve, “Ah, ya, my ride, we stopped at Asgard.”

Bucky, “Thor is gonna love to hear from you then. Let’s get you back, maybe you can help to snap Nat out of it.”

Steve, “Out of what?”

Sam, “Keeps muttering something about being snatched out of the air by this box and something about a bluebird. Soaking wet too oddly enough, just found her in the middle of the living room.”

Steve, “Bluebird?” His brows furrowing as he felt a twinge in his mind trying to remind him of something around that word and how she was saved.

Back to the Tower they went and caught the stunned expressions on the faces of those they passed in the lobby and into the lab where Steve smirked seeing tiny toddler Morgan hop off her chair and race over, “Uncle Steve!”

Into his free arm she hopped and he lifted her up saying, “Hey there Ladybug. You weren’t scared, were you?” She shook her head and he smiled, “Didn’t think so.” Kissing her cheek and moving closer to the scientists around Thor who were all looking him over.

Thor pointed at him, “Those clothes..”

Tony, “Did you steal a baby?!”

Steve, “No, she’s my baby girl.”

Bruce, “You, had a baby..”

Steve, “With Peggy, but it’s sort of complicated. I tore a hole in time, got told I had to come back.”

Scott, “But how’s that possible, you broke the time window. The watch wouldn’t work. Where is the watch? You lost it?!”

Steve glanced at Thor, who had moved closer inspecting the embroidery on his sleeve, “This is from Asgard.”

Steve nodded when their eyes met, “Your mother called her, Frey, something.” Parting the Asgardian’s lips, “But she said her name was Bluejay.”

Thor, “You found a Frey, no one has seen a Frey in thousands of years. Must have been one hell of a hole.”

Steve nodded and grinned seeing the Prince stroke Tasha’s cheek and said, “Loki seemed to be amused,”

That had Thor’s eyes back on him, “Loki was there? You are certain? But Bruce brought Loki back.”

Steve nodded, “Ya, they’re, involved him and Bluejay. He was there.”

Thor exhaled, “He knows nothing of any Frey. He would tell me.”

Steve shook his head, “But I saw him.” His eyes turned to the doorway spotting Loki strolling in with an aloof expression with a notepad in hand, “Loki! Tell them about Bluejay!”

Loki’s brow inched up and he shook his head, “I am not overly enthralled with the winged species of this planet to produce information on them at command. Welcome back, I see that my notes will no longer be necessary.” His eyes shifted to the child, “And, now there is a baby.” His eyes snapped from the girl to Steve.

“Loki, I just saw you, on Asgard with your mother and Peter and some blue guy named Ronan.”

Loki’s eyes narrowed, “Peter? The child in the living room? We just met.”

His brows clenched a bit tighter in confusion and Thor said, “He also stated you were involved with a Frey.”

That had Loki’s head shift to face his brother, “A Frey?”

Thor nodded, “Mother named her as a Frey.”

Loki looked to Steve, “Perhaps you met an older version of myself. I have not met any Frey, yet.”

Tony, “Peter was there? Peter Parker? He’s on the couch calming down with some tacos.”

Thor, “Clearly what has occurred has troubled more than we had intended to involve a Frey. It is best we let these matters lie and unfold later.”

Dr Strange, “What’s so special about A Frey?”

Loki, “They are old, very old, masters of Time itself traveling to right the mistaken Time Streams of others. Not to be trifled with. Only when matters are dire do the Frey entangle themselves with other races. Those refusing are not uncommonly wiped out of existence.”

Steve muttered, “Seemed perfectly thrilled yourself to be tangled with her.” That made Loki look up at him with a brow raised.

Tony claimed hold of Morgan and said, “This Bluejay, wouldn’t happen to have had a box with them? Nat-,”

Steve nodded, “Where is she?” Following Thor to Natasha’s usual room in the tower he found her on the bed with Hawkeye beside her holding her hand and trying to console her.

Lowly she repeated, “I know what I saw.” Her eyes shifted to Steve still full of fear in asking, “Baby?”

Steve smirked closing the distance to sit beside her, “This is my daughter Tasha,” The name had her brow inching up, “I wanted to settle down with Peggy, but I tore a hole in time. Got told to come back but I got to bring my girl. I wanted her to grow up strong like you and Peg.” Inching a grin out across her lips, “Now, Tony said you fell, got caught?”

Natasha nodded, “Called herself Bluebird, I fell through this box into a pool. There was this huge otter with her. She helped me out, next thing I know I woke up here. In the middle of the living room.”

Steve wet his lips asking, “Are you sure it wasn’t Bluejay?” her lips parted and he said, “Cuz Bluejay found me. And I saw her box, it had a pool and a waterslide inside.”

Hawkeye, “What sort of box has a waterslide inside?”

Steve said, “It’s a ship, just looks like a box on the outside, cloaking device.”

Natasha chuckled to herself, “I knew I wasn’t crazy.” Her eyes dropped to Tasha and she grinned accepting hold of the girl Steve eased into her lap.

“You’re not crazy. Apparently she’s very old, and likes to pop in and out. Not very fond of me at the moment.”

*.*

Back to Ronan’s side you strolled and caught his smirk in noting the calmer readings on your panel and he asked, “Back to Hala then?”

“After a stop.”

His brow inched up and you said, “I made you a promise some years back, that I would meet you somewhere. As a sort of thank you, I thought you might like to see this, a sort of incentive to not chase after Thanos.”

Again after a few moments of whirring he rumbled, “And just what might be the incentive?” Following you to the door you opened for him while leaning against the other. Around Xandar thousands of Kree ships hovered around his own parting his lips.

Over the intercom of your ship he could hear his own voice stating, **_“Bluejay! Welcome to the moment of my victory against this parasite! This moment will ring in infamy echoing through all Kree kind, none will doubt our strength, and all who dare defy us shall be cleansed! And we are honored to have you witness it, the strengthening of our allegiance, from the moment of your aid in our salvation, the path offered to us in our darkest hour. A freedom offered to us and now we extend that invitation, in your name. Welcome back, my friend.”_**

Smirking at the Ronan in your ship watching in teary eyed awe at their descent you answered, **_“I wouldn’t miss this for the world, big Ro. Happy cleansing.”_**

Closing his eyes Ronan stepped back easing the door closed in front of him resting his forehead on the warm indented panel with a tear streaming down his cheeks at the sound of the first shot fired. He could wait, until he’d earned to witness it for himself. Five minutes was all it took after the power cells being torn out freeing thousands more children before the hoards of Kree were lowered down to the surface to raze the planet to cinders. The silence after had him looking to you as you shut the door hearing his ships sounding their victorious trumpeting flair into the air in a pull back giving Xandar a wide berth while the planet cracked and began to spit out flames of glittering lights from blue, white, green and purple marking the planet would implode soon. On her own Precious floated back as well joining the other ships to bob and sway on the waves of the imploding planet.

**_“I might have exaggerated a bit,”_** his eyes opened and fell on you as you pointed through the cracked door, **_“That piece looks a bit bigger than a postage stamp.”_**

With lips quivering he closed the distance lifting you in a tight hug burying is face into your shoulder and neck tightening his hold at your arms closing around the backs of his shoulders clutching onto his shirt. For as long as it lasted he held you through the victorious first song then let you down smiling at you as you wiped his cheeks. Weakly he chuckled and then said, **_“I am ready for Hala now.”_**

**_“Sure thing, big Ro.” _**Stealing a peek outside when your back was turned he smirked in easing the door shut anxious to know just how he would guide his people to this moment but memorizing everything he could as he turned to see you guiding the ship back to 2014 just outside of Hala’s territory.

A hum sounded the removal of his ships from your protective field and another sounded your landing inside his control room, another tight hug later you both laughed through and he set you down leaving through the door stating, **_“Safe travels, my friend.”_**

With a smirk you leaned in the doorway and said, **_“Same to you. You’ll know what to do when you see it. And do try to have some fun, or what good is it all in the end really?”_** Making him chuckle again as you closed your door that soon rippled out of view when your ship moved out from inside his.

Exhaling sharply you said, “Alright, Vormir here we come.” A flick of your fingers on your rounded dial came as your eyes clenched at the golden glimmering cough you let out into your elbow before mumbling, “Ok, come on, just some dials and knobs then bed. K9?” In a glance around the ship you sighed, “Right, um, Copper?”

From one of the halls a floating otter came into view and cocked his head through a low hum in a silent request as to how he could help you. “Copper, Sweetheart, I need you to open the doors to the pool please.” In another agreeing hum he flew off to do so.

Exhaling slowly another golden breath you had been trying to hold in signaling you weren’t fully settled yet triggered by the time travel you decided on pushing to finally have some peace from the screaming of time this was the last line crying out for help. A snap of your fingers had the doors opening and a pulled lever had the ship turning on its side making you plant your feet in holding onto the bar around the control panel.

*.*

Under misty skies after a fall off the side of a cliff a hard slam against the wall had Hawkeye gripping as tightly as he could to the tether and his best friend’s forearm. Shakily Natasha drew in a breath and took in their situation. Far from possible the climb up couldn’t be managed by him with his hold of her. They had to get the stone and get back, only clearly one of them could make it. He had a family and even with so many good friends she had never thought to earn the trust of they could go on without her. Just as her training had ensured she continue her path was light and easy to discard, in a matter of speaking. No family to speak of and no one fully dependent on her. The choice was clear, her choice. A hard kick later and down she fell. Where she had expected fear she felt only a warm welcome. The cool hand of death reached out and, surprisingly, was gripped in welcoming.

But that chill on her hand merely was the lingering chill of the wind as her eyes flinched wider seeing the wooden hall rotating around her in her plummet through an archway and soon another to fall into a chilled pool of water in the sharp turn of the room around her. Down to the bottom of the pool she fell only to watch a giant otter swim down and help to carry her up to the surface again.

Free from the sideways turn you sent your ship off to 2018 again, a few minutes after the team would have learned from the returned Hawkeye she was gone, into the living room and coughed into your shoulder again trotting to help the woman out of the pool. Coughs sounded in your entrance to the doorway and with a firm grip onto her hands you pulled her up to her knees on the edge saying, “Hello Natasha.”

“Am I dead?”

“No.”

She looked you over as the otter continued to swim behind her choosing to make the most of his moment of being in the water. “Who are you?”

“Blujay. But don’t worry about that.”

“I have to get back, my friend-,”

“I know.”

Her brows furrowed, “You know? What could you know?”

Before she could move you locked your eyes on hers saying, “Sleep.” The word making her eyes droop shut and into your arms she slumped and you picked her up bridal style carrying her to the doors that opened allowing you to carry her out and lay her down on the floor and dart back inside your ship that closed and vanished at the nearing of voices from the others.

Hawkeye was the first and near inconsolable after having seen Natasha fall but not having seen her body on the ground after wondering what had happened to her. “Nat!” He cried out crossing the room to cradle her in his arms and inspecting her for any visible injuries in the sea of confused people wondering how she had landed here and why she was soaking wet.

*.*

Off again you went, and on the middle of a trip to Yellowstone young Peter stood huffing after having been told to put his slinky down and focus on the park around them. On the back bumper of the car jeep he came in he left it and with a curious furrow of his brows he looked over the seemingly golden glittering woman in shorts and a baggy shirt. Bright golden eyes scanned over the park around her while he eyed her glowing bare feet hovering above the warm green grass below them until she froze looking him over. A wave from him was answered with a wave and grin from her and in his move to warn his mom she and his slinky was gone, the latter he wouldn’t notice until later.

*.*

Just barely a matter of minutes had passed and after a stop to hurl the mirrored boxes holding the Weeping Angels you had captured into a burning sun destroying them you landed on Asgard again. Coughing into your arm you eased the door open and backwards into the ship you fell as your eyes rolled back. The return of the ship spread the grin on Peter’s face in his excitement to share a new sight he had found only to fall with Loki’s beside him seeing your body arch up from the ground in Copper’s wiggle under you urging K9 in a full sprint over to you after leaping off a tall balcony to do so.

Up again you sat and gripping the doorway your eyes locked forward again from their swim around and up you were climbing back to your feet flashing them a grin. Stroking K9’s head as he approached you calmed him, “Bluejay, you fell.”

“Yes I did,” you giggled out.

Peter got there first and he looked you over then gasped at the slinky in your palm you offered to him he cradled, “Mr Slinksimmons!” His eyes popped up again and he asked, “Are you ok?”

You nodded and Jack stopped beside Peter asking, “How many stops did you take?”

“Just, four?”

Jack, “Four?! No wonder you fell!”

“Well, you know those round things in the playground and that feeling you get when you go round and round?”

Peter’s eyes locked with yours as you focused your gaze on him with a momentary furrow of them, “Dizzy?”

Your fingers snapped and you pointed at him, “No, well, yes, but sort of.”

Loki looked you over reaching out to replace your hold on the door with his arm asking, “Do you need to lay down?”

“No, I’m good, just that next to last one, turning sideways, phew, just, wow that one tilted me.”

Peter asked after a glance at the slinky in his hands, “Where did you find him?”

You smirked, “I stole him,” his brow inched up, “I’m sorry, yes, at Yellowstone.”

That had him gasping, “The glowing gold lady,” You nodded, “Wow, how did I forget that?” Making his eyes sink a moment.

You swatted your hand in the air leaning more against Loki’s side answering as his arm settled behind your back in his pleased hold on you in your adorable near tipsy like stance, “Eh, it’s alright, didn’t happen before. Not sure, might have been that buffalo looking boy who saw you leave him on the bumper.”

Jack said, “We found the walrus on the shore.”

“Ooh, walrus are fun.”

Loki chuckled, “Let’s go show you around then, Dearest.” He said leading you a step away from your ship closing its doors to do its usual checks while for a moment Loki’s mind went fuzzy. And he stole a glance at you remembering his discussion when Steve had returned to Stark Tower after his own odd waking in Bruce’s path in New York on his own search for returning the stones. A golden pulse from the tesseract was all he glimpsed over his shoulder before a sudden pulse had him out cold then suddenly conscious in being hoisted over the Hulk’s shoulder. Smirking to himself at wonder for what this trip of yours had set off to have set him in your path for the second time. Secretly loving that hidden aspect of your relationship cementing his belief you were fated to belong together and the whole of the universes were working to ensure you would meet and meet again.


	18. Chapter 18

Harsh and fast your mind had drifted off and again you felt old rages and irritations flood back into the front of your mind. The world seemed to drift into the distance as the savage thoughts came forward. All the way back to the end of the universe where you had left Clara Oswald and Ashildr. One hard punch to keep your godfather from losing his memories and to follow the orders of the Council on Gallifrey to retrieve the stolen Tardis. She wanted to wait out eternity before facing her death so there you left her with her friend and sent the Doctor on his way while you returned the stolen Tardis now in pendant form you dropped back at the Council. The sting of your knuckles still there while you peered up at a painting of one of the old battles Odin had gone on.

Turned around Jack caught that same lingering gaze he knew he himself had been locked in. A common side effect of creatures lost to this path, creatures left to assume they were monsters one time or another, cursed beings to only bring about pain and suffering. “Where are you?” Jack whispered folding his arms around you from behind.

Lowly you muttered, “Punching Clara Oswald.”

Chuckling to himself he replied, “She broke the rules.”

“It was more the landscape of the end of the universe. That cluster of columns looks familiar.”

Jack’s head tilted and he smirked, “Ah, just like Trespan, that statue looks like your great great uncle Hector.” His head turned and he asked, “Loki, is this Trespan?”

Loki turned from the control panel he was explaining to Peter on how to operate the viewer to a database of film reels to see a battle Thor had mentioned and came closer asking, “Trespan?”

Jack nodded and asked, “Three suns, pink, blue and green, got about five rings and these huge temples. Giant screeching hippo like creatures that can fly, two month swooping seasons, absolutely dreadful, not really sure why they stayed there to be honest..”

Loki’s brows furrowed a moment and he said, “We call it Xquiem, but yes, father did mention it was a dreadful place. You know it well?”

Jack turned saying, “That statue is my great uncle Hector. Took Jaqi there once as a kid.”

“They do have spectacular burritos though.”

Loki wet his lips, “Was this before or after father annihilated the planet?”

Sharply you giggled saying, “Planet looked like that when he landed, worst he did was switch on the recouping generator,” that had Loki’s brow inching up, “Whole planet’s stuck in a reversing timeline, Odin landed in its decaying age, like a reverse acid rain, soon as they build something it crumbles to dust and slowly goes back to new again. Whole generations in their elder days seeing their towns and homes anew, there is beauty in growing old. They remodel in their final years so the next generation could begin to see the beauty too. But they were invaded, before Odin and locked in a stasis, which he kicked back on again, hence the trouble in trying to conquer.”

Loki chuckled, “Makes me wonder how much of father’s tall tales became his legacy easily mended.”

Out his hand stretched and he said, “I promised you view of our inner silver falls. Now sapphires, but stunning all the same.” Making you smirk and lay your hand on his with jack grinning in his path after you.

Through the Palace and out into the open swaying green fields between golden fields of grains you followed the eager King towards a distant stream at the end of a trio of water falls. The cool silver water shifting to clear streams splitting below with floating clumps of silver separating from the fall collected by sifters and the giant octupi under the surface shimmered in varying colors circling the stone path you walked across. Crouching down your hand reached under the water and a baby gladly coiled around your fingers allowing you to lift it and look it over while Peter did the same further down chuckling as two adults climbed up his legs.

Loki, “They do enjoy the attention. They won’t hurt us, actually have secretions we collect for some of our medicines and the sifters perfect their nest conditions.”

Jack, “How come there aren’t more?”

Loki, “We have more in falls farther South. Far larger, less useful for medicines but they do keep the walrus from taking over our grazing pastures.”

A faint ring turned your head and you stood asking, “You hear that?”

From your palm the baby’s skin flaps between its tentacles opened and it leapt from your palm to float back down to the water and Loki moved closer to your side peering upwards pointing at a floating cube, “What is that?”

Looking from him to the cube his finger was aimed at you let out a giggle, “Mail.”

Loki, “It looks like a tesseract.”

Smirking up at him you reached out claiming the box saying, “And who do you imagine gave your people the tech to protect that infinity stone, I suspect Odin claimed that too.”

Glowing brightly in your palm, the marking coated box that began to whisper, though your grin dropped and you rolled your eyes making Loki smirk at Peter’s waist deep walk to you asking, “That like an old tape recorder?”

“Something like that.” Turning to look at Jack you huffed out, “We have to go to Church.”

Loki, “An actual church?”

“Not the sort you would assume. It’s the base for the Papal Mainframe.”

Jack, “Wonder what it could be. Tasha knows better than to write us without reason.” He looked to Peter, “Her and the missus hate one another.”

“Can’t be good,” Looking to Loki you asked, “How comfortable are you with nudity?”

Peter looked over you three asking, “Nudity?”

Jack, “Can’t go to church with clothes on.” Leading the way back to Precious with Peter timidly following after you only to relax at Jack’s saying, “Don’t worry, you can stay in the ship.”

Peter nodded and with K9 trotting to join you eyeing the message in your palm stating, “There does not seem to be any underlying messages encoded.”

“No,” Through the door you led the way saying, “Precious, we’re off to Church.” Triggering her console to light up and begin to hum and you glanced at Peter, “We’re gonna go change, if you go through the green door you can give my arcade a whirl.” His brows inched up, “Takes virtual reality to a whole new level.”

His lips parted and K9 stated, “I shall guide you through the interface,” trotting to a hall on the right leading Peter in his excited path to see what your arcade was like.

Into your costume room you went and gripped the bottom of your shirt up over your head you pulled folding it to leave on a stool saying to Loki, “I’ll do my best not to stare.”

In the bunching of his own shirt he pulled up over his head onto his shoulders and arms to himself he chuckled trying not to look your way seeing your shorts being added with your panties to the pile over your bra. Jack took notice of his blush and said, “Feel free to stare my way all you like.” Only making the King chuckle again and undo his trousers to add to his own pile hearing Precious humming to you warning of how close she was getting.

Back to the control panel you went settling the message on the console sending off a warning pulse of your arrival causing their gate to open for you to land in their docking bay. Curiously eyeing the ship Loki stepped out behind you with Jack exiting first, from the lines of uniform wearing men to your back he took in all he could of your figure under your loose waist length curls you were brushing over your left shoulder on the side your father was on. The motion only luring Loki to steal a glance your way from the corner of his vision.

“Bluejay.”

“Tasha Lem, you wrote?”

Flatly from a cold gaze at Jack, who was glaring at her in return, “I am surprised you came without your crypt keeper.”

Jack, “My wife isn’t the only one with trick blades, Tasha, get to the point or I’ll give you a new hole in your head to go with that Dalek probe.”

“Perhaps I might show you what my weapon can do.” She snarked back.

To which you replied, “Please do I enjoy a good conductor.” Her eyes snapped back to you seeing the lightning flickering in your eyes matching the currents flowing between your fingertips.

Straightening up she inhaled deeply and said, “Had I been allowed to contact the Doctor I would have, but it was addressed to you.” From a floating tray she lifted a newspaper you claimed and opened flipping to the classifieds.

Straight through the French printed ads for nurses and maids for households you spotted one calling for a Bluejay for a Blueberry Bellerophon. “Oh what is the little tyrant up to now?” Jack glanced at you as you turned saying, “Napoleon.”

Loki turned glancing up seeing you three inside Precious walking back to the costume room to get dressed again, “We are after a tyrant?”

Jack, “More like a person who irritated him.”

“Or the one irritating him.”

Loki nodded then glanced back at the door, “Is that normally,”

You patted his bicep saying after wiggling into your panties, “We never really got along. She was one of Doctor’s flings, liked to parade her way around his ship flying it where she wanted after he lost one of his wives and hit a slump.”

Loki watched you hooking your bra and strolling around him to find a pair of pants while the duo got back into their own pants. The King asked watching you bounce a pair of black jeans up, pausing at your thighs with a huff, “Damnit Doctor…stealing my good pants.” Pushing them down you stepped out of them and kicked them away turning back to burrow under a long rack of shirts to dig in the cubbies between that and the skirts, “Grumpy twig of a man.”

Loki chuckled and his smile doubled at your pulling out another pair, “Ah ha.” You unfolded, lowering to bounce into and nip at your lip in zipping and hooking the button before turning in a finger wiggling browse through your collection of sweaters to pull on a baggy forest green one you added a grey vest over it. Matching long socks and tall boots were next to be pulled over your tight jeans as the men finished adjusting their shirts.

Loki, “Will we be requiring weapons?”

“Most likely, no. He’s not as imposing as he seems by his reputation.”

Out to the main hall you led the way only to see Peter wide eyed sliding into the hall ruffling his fingers through his hair, “King Kong, millipedes, everywhere.”

With a smirk you said, “Ya, really turns out to be more like Skyrim than a four hour action shooter. Full immersion.”

With a nod Peter wet his lips asking, “Church, went well?”

Jack, “We got a message to head to HMS Bellerophon.”

Peter’s brows furrowed a moment muttering the name then said, “Sounds French? HMS, a ship?”

Loki, “Apparently we are to see a tyrant named Napoleon.”

That dropped Peter’s jaw and he asked while you showed the page to K9, who was scanning it for any more messages, “Napoleon?! I thought we could only visit the city and fly over a couple battles, not actually go see the man himself!”

Your head tilted a moment, “Well, technically we can meet him, he’s just not the most hospitable. Hence the help message.”

K9, “This message has Corsair’s numerical code etched into the reverse image of the message behind the one calling for aid.”

Lowly you muttered, “Figured as much. Anyone else would prefer Hamilton or Hendrickson over Napoleon any day.”

Jack, “Can’t imagine why she would be calling for aid.”

You shrugged moving to the control panel eyeing the signals flowing across the screen making your brows furrow, “It seems they’ve fired a cannon at her Tardis.”

Jack let out a laugh, “Oh, no doubt the tyrant will be in pieces when we land.”

Seeing Loki’s confusion Peter broke into a full on description of the tyrant in question and a bit on his reputation while you steered your ship to hover beside Napoleon’s, “Alright, bit of a hop.” You said walking to the door you opened revealing the scent of smoke and salt water on the breeze along with voices and orders through the ship. Into your dangling hand K9 passed you your screwdriver sheath you pocketed then hoped out onto the railing and onto the deck with him at your side.

Behind you the trio hopped down and past the parting soldiers clearly recognizing you and frightened from your ship appearing from nowhere that shut and shifted to settle around your neck. Straight to the door for the Captain’s quarters you walked following the familiar female voice shouting curses at the men around her. Once you were in her sights the dark haired hazel eyed woman relaxed in her bindings saying, “Bluejay.”

The name had the men turning to puff up with guns shifting to you inhaling sharply while K9 shot a laser off to burn her binds from your side. “Corsair, you know we weren’t supposed to come back to these waters this decade past shielded overhead scouting, you set the terms.”

She fired back in a pop up to her feet, “I wouldn’t have but he stole my muffin tin and he’s lying about it and blasted a cannon ball at my ship!”

The man in question stood with his arms crossed leaning against his desk only to inch up his chin smugly when your gaze hit his in the arching of your brow, “We’ve talked about this.”

Shaking his head he released his arms to wave a hand in the air through Peter’s subtle slip away closer to Napoleon’s side, “I do not know this muffin you speak of.”

“Leader of the French Naval Forces doesn’t understand muffin, got it.” Lowering your gaze to K9 at Corsair’s feet you said, “K9, scan the room please,” after a moment your fingers rose to your pendant, “Copper, if you and your family wouldn’t mind searching the rest of the ship for a muffin tin.” Around you the giant floating otters appeared and soared off through the ship luring screams from the frightened sailors in Napoleon’s smug stance stiffening.

Leaning sideways in his own interrogating gaze he muttered to Peter, “This is him? Hardly a threat to me.”

Peter smirked replying, “You and me both.”

Napoleon’s resolve hardening by the moment through the growing sound of shouts and things being rummaged through while Peter got to his side and out of his view made Jack smirk seeing him measuring himself against the man with his hand and capturing the result on his phone with a picture. Once the man’s head turned Peter flashed a grin and hopped over the desk to walk around to Corsair’s side giving her a grin as well. Peering down at him she said, “You’re new.”

Peter said, “My second trip really. Just came from Asgard.”

Corsair, “I love Asgard, have you seen the Truffle fields?”

Loki said, “Ah, those were lost when the Eastern shore caught fire.”

Her grin sank, “Oh, you look familiar.”

Jack said, “King Loki of Asgard.”

Corsair pointed at him saying, “That’s it, the resemblance is uncanny, haven’t been in ages.”

K9 completed his final circle of the room stating, “Search results, negative.”

Napoleon, “See, there-,”

Through the door Copper and his brothers flew, three of them holding tins that Corsair came to inspect, the one on the end she said pointed to, “This one’s mine! See, my snake!” She said causing the other two otters to hurl the tins through the door at the shouting Frenchmen silencing in the attack, to your side they flew and vanished to enter your ship to be fully protected again, proudly chattering amongst themselves while the confused Frenchmen wondered at your flying creatures.

Napoleon broke his silence at her shaking the tin in his face, “No muffin tin? You pint sized puff of hot air!”

Aloofly he replied after a purse of his lips, “Ah, that is muffin? I thought it was for soap.”

A crack left Corsair in her near lunge for Napoleon Jack ended in his arm looping around her stomach to keep her from killing the man, “The fuck! Soap?! I’ll turn you into soap!”

With a sigh you turned while she was carried out of the room back to the deck and giving him the ‘I’m watching you’ hand gesture you made your own way out, “Keep it in line Bonaparte.”

At Loki’s side you strolled across the deck picking up your pace to make the hop up onto the rail and into your now hovering ship again releasing a whistle and wagging your finger you said, “Come on Cosmo, we’ll patch you up.”

At that a smoking flamingo on a stick that was hiding in the mast lowered and zoomed in through your door that closed behind you making Loki chuckle. “Camouflage I take it?”

“He’s usually a giant serpent, must have hit it just right to jam him into a flamingo yard ornament.”

Corsair huffed saying, “You should have let me throttle him.”

Jack said helping to straighten her long skirt’s outer layer, “You know he’s due to die in soon anyways.”

She huffed again, “Not soon enough.”

Loki said, “If you require time for repairs you could join us on Asgard.”

Corsair said, “Ah, I’m not technically allowed to leave the planet for a week still.”

Loki glanced at you as you said, “After a Time Lord heals or regenerates there’s a courtesy grounding for all Tardis except for that Time Lord once they are recovered.”

Corsair, “Heard you took a nasty hit in that Reaper scuffle back in the 40’s. You alright?”

You nodded, “Just a nick to a nerve. Needed a rest. You sure about lingering?”

She nodded, “Yup, don’t mind me I have a poker game to get back to. Just got the call on my way back to my castle from a poker game with Ivan the Terrible, got kicked out of town, apparently I was terrorizing him. Imagine that.”

You giggled and Jack said, “Always did have thin skin.”

Peter, “So Napoleon is a thief and Ivan the Terrible is a ninny?”

With a giggle you said, “Wait till you meet Alexander the Great, obsessed with lemons, and I mean obsessed.”

Corsair giggled as Cosmo gave Precious the coordinates to their castle hideaway in Norway, “Do try to hide any glitter from him, always ends badly, always.” Leading the way over to your armchairs she asked Peter, “So, when are you off to next?” Her eyes drifting over to you in your cross legged lean into Loki’s side weaving your arm and hand with his stirring a curious smirk across her lips.

Peter pursed his lips a moment and he said, “Well if you’re talking Alexander maybe we could drop in on King Leonidas in Sparta.”

“Ooh, nice choice, however, I do have to warn you, it’s not like in the movies, he was nearly 60 when he died. Not all buff men in leather bikinis and crimson capes ripped to no end.”

For a moment he paused and Jack stroked his back as he said, “I feel, so betrayed.”

Each detail of the film was gone through and scoffs grew while Jack smirked chatting with Loki who was clearly not caught up to that section of history yet. Yet smoothing his hands over his face Peter grumbled, “This is just like when I heard in school there was no Santa Clause.” The pause and wide eyed gaze when he looked your face over was priceless as he shot out, “There is?!”

Corsair giggled out, “Why wouldn’t there be?”

“Although his preferred name on Earth is Sven, but he does operate on a belief system that is time sensitive and shielded to appear like parents do the work because they can only spend so much time on each child. Like, in films and such where the mom clearly signed dad’s name but mom is just smiling and confused swearing she only bought two gifts but there’s three and she keeps saying open it so she can find out what is inside to try and remember buying it. Things like that.”

Practically vibrating Peter let out a squeak folding his hands together on his lap as you glanced at Loki’s watch and said, “You know, we could catch him on his off season if you wanted to meet him.”

Jack, “Just don’t complain about presents you didn’t get, does not end well.”

Peter glanced between you, “How does it go?”

Corsair giggled, “He sort of explodes.”

“Rebuilding the shop is such a chore so we try to avoid that.”

Peter nipped at his lip, “maybe not today, I did agree to go to Sif’s partner’s musical show.”

Loki, “Ah, yes, mother did mention that.”

“Take your time, we can hang out for a few days give you some time to think it over.”

One vast castle later and back to Asgard you went drawing a relaxed sigh from Queen Frigga on her balcony staring at the spot you had left not four minutes ago. A calming wave from Loki came with his guiding you and Jack up to the sitting room with tea ready for you all as Peter swung off to meet up with Sif and her partner to introduce him to the other musicians.

Loki released your hand to lean in and kiss Frigga’s cheek, “Sorry mother, a distress call came from another Frey in the past. Quite amusing, the French have a tiny tyrant in their past, a Napoleon, who has a fondness for kleptomania.”

Frigga chuckled, “Well, I am glad it was not Thor,”

Loki’s brow inched up, “Why would it be Thor?”

She replied, “He would be missing you terribly. Heimdall keeps me up to date on his progress.”

Loki, “I could always send word that he could send for Rocket if he wished for a visit.”

Valkyrie passing by paused stating, “I could send the message if you wished, Your Majesty.”

Frigga, “That would be lovely, thank you. Both my boys back in time for the equinox.”

Loki chuckled weakly, “No doubt he will be glad for the ale and old faces to comfort his next few months on Midgard.”

Turning to you he claimed your hand again showing you the waiting tea, easing you into your chair beside his.


End file.
